IPL investments later, The Hundred continues to be a family affair

Matthew Potts of SunRisers Leeds reacts after MI London won the Hundred Men match between MI London and SunRisers Leeds at The Kia Oval on July 21, 2026 in London, England. TimesofIndia.com in London: England’s summer of cricket continues unabated. The men played three Tests against New Zealand and five T20Is and three ODIs against India. On the women’s side, it was the T20 World Cup and a one-off Test between India and England. And now it’s the turn of the Hundred, which began on July 21.The Hundred, a unique 100 innings tournament, is back for its sixth edition. Much has changed, and yet much has not changed. It still has eight teams, it still features 100-ball innings where bowlers can spell spells of five or 10 consecutive balls, and it is still objectively intended to speed up the game and feature double headers – men’s and women’s – on the same day.On the opening day, defending men’s champions MI London beat Sunrisers Leeds at The Oval. In the first match of the day, Sunrisers beat MI London by 7 wickets in the women’s competition. A day later, in Southampton, the Southern Braves narrowly beat the Welsh Fire. And the men’s match later in the day had the opposite result.What has changed is ownership, team names and kit designs. After a £520 million infusion into The Hundred, the Ambani family acquired Oval Invincibles (now renamed MI London), Sun Group bought Northern Superchargers (now SunRisers Leeds) and RPSG Group bought Manchester Originals (now Manchester Super Giants). GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, have taken a 49% stake in Southern Brave.On the opening day of the season at The Oval, the mood was as relaxed as one would expect at this time of year. The sun was shining and it was a pleasant day, far from the scorching heat this country has experienced over the past few months. Even though it was a weekday, families were numerous and using the numerous entry points that get you into this Kennington cricket stadium.A venue that saw three consecutive Test defeats for the hosts. It was here a month ago that New Zealand beat England by 253 runs. And it was here, a year ago, that Mohammed Siraj bowled with great fire to help India level the series by just 6 runs.But now, on Tuesday, The Hundred got underway and the buzz was equal parts cricket, family and fun. A father, holding the hands of two of his children, walked by and sought the support of the administrator in his search for the “family section.” Unlike international cricket, where tickets sell for £100 or more, The Hundred hopes to bring in the masses at reasonable prices.Children under two go free, tickets for 3-15 year olds cost £5 and adult tickets start from just £14. So the whole young family could see two consecutive cricket matches, lasting about five hours or more, for £30-40.Numerous food carts, kiosks and drink stands came to the rescue after a long day at work. From Middle Eastern to fast food to Indian, everything was offered to suit the palates of the diners. There is a range of soft drinks, beers, cocktails and other soft drinks to pour. Most importantly, ice creams in different flavors and styles are exactly what the young people are asking for.The difference in the quality of the atmosphere between the Indian Premier League, a mature cricket league, and The Hundred, which is still finding its feet, is huge. Now that IPL franchises and Indian conglomerates are investing in The Hundred, his journey is only going forward, helped in large part by the family approach.