The Men’s Hundred 2026 auction was historic. For the first time, The Hundred ditched its draft system for an IPL-style bidding war. Held on March 12, 2026, at Piccadilly Lights in central London, the auction saw eight franchises battle over 247 players across a gruelling seven-hour session.
James Coles became the most expensive player at £390,000, while the signing of Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed by IPL-owned Sunrisers Leeds was the headline talking point. Here’s a complete breakdown of the auction highlights, biggest buys, surprise snubs, team squads, and everything worth knowing.
Why The Hundred Moved to an Auction in 2026
The switch from draft to auction didn’t happen in a vacuum. It followed the ECB’s historic franchise sale in late 2025, which valued all eight teams at over £975 million
New investors, including IPL franchise owners, pushed for the auction format to align with global franchise cricket. The result? Three teams got entirely new names, budgets jumped 45%, and English cricket entered a new commercial era.
New Ownership and Team Rebranding
Four of the eight franchises now have direct IPL ownership ties. Here’s how the ownership map looks:
| Team (2026 Name) | Investor / Owner | IPL Connection | Stake |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles) | Reliance Industries | Mumbai Indians | 49% |
| Manchester Super Giants (formerly Manchester Originals) | RPSG Group | Lucknow Super Giants | 70% |
| Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers) | Sun TV Network | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 100% |
| Southern Brave | GMR Group | Delhi Capitals (co-owners) | 49% |
| London Spirit | Silicon Valley consortium | None | 49% |
| Birmingham Phoenix | Knighthead Capital | None | 49% |
| Welsh Fire | Sanjay Govil | None (owns Washington Freedom) | 50% |
| Trent Rockets | Cain & Ares Management | None | 49% |
How the Men’s Hundred 2026 Auction Format Worked
If you’ve watched an IPL mega auction, this will feel familiar. However, there are some important structural differences.
Pre-Auction Signings and Retentions
Each franchise could make up to four pre-auction signings (including at least one retention from the previous squad). A maximum of two overseas players and two ECB centrally contracted players were allowed in these pre-auction deals.
Salary Cap and Purse Details
The men’s salary cap was £2.05 million per team, a 45% increase from 2025. After pre-auction signings worth approximately £950,000, each team had around £1.1 million remaining for the auction.
Three-Stage Bidding Process
The auction followed a structured three-tier bidding system:
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Hero Players | 10 marquee names auctioned first with open bidding |
| Ranked Players | Most-nominated players from team wish lists, auctioned openly |
| Nominated Players | Teams took turns nominating unsold players; if no rival bid, the nominating team signed them at the base price |
Nearly 1,000 players from 18 countries registered, of whom about 247 men were shortlisted. Each team needed between 14 and 16 players by the auction close, with two additional wildcard picks to be announced later from the Vitality Blast.
One key detail: contracts signed in 2026 come with three-year retention rights (2026, 2027, 2028) at the same fee. That explains why franchises backed youth over experience throughout the day.
Top 10 Most Expensive Players at the Men’s Hundred 2026 Auction Highlights
The top buys told a clear story: all-rounders ruled the room, and English talent was in massive demand. Here’s the full top 10 (plus a tied 11th):
| Rank | Player | Team | Price (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Coles | London Spirit | 390,000 |
| 2 | Jordan Cox | Welsh Fire | 300,000 |
| 3 | Tom Curran | MI London | 260,000 |
| 4 | Adil Rashid | Southern Brave | 250,000 |
| 5 | Joe Root | Welsh Fire | 240,000 |
| 6 | Dan Lawrence | Sunrisers Leeds | 210,000 |
| =6 | Scott Currie | Birmingham Phoenix | 210,000 |
| 8 | Aiden Markram | Manchester Super Giants | 200,000 |
| =8 | Josh Tongue | Manchester Super Giants | 200,000 |
| 10 | James Vince | MI London | 190,000 |
| =10 | Abrar Ahmed | Sunrisers Leeds | 190,000 |
For context, Harry Brook was the tournament’s highest-paid player overall at £465,000, but that was a pre-auction signing by Sunrisers Leeds, not an auction buy. Similarly, Jofra Archer was retained by Southern Brave for £400,000.
Biggest Talking Points from the Auction
James Coles: £390,000 for an Uncapped 21-Year-Old
The most expensive player in Hundred auction history has never played international cricket. Let that sink in. James Coles, the Sussex spin-bowling allrounder, sparked a frantic bidding war before London Spirit outbid Sunrisers Leeds to land him.
Andy Flower, Spirit’s head coach, explained the logic: Coles can bat in the top five and delivers economically in the powerplay and middle overs. He’d already impressed in the SA20 with Sunrisers Eastern Cape and with the England Lions.
With three-year retention rights at the same fee, London Spirit are essentially paying £390,000 per season for a player they believe will be a future England regular. That’s smart business if Coles delivers.
Abrar Ahmed to Sunrisers Leeds: The Shadow-Ban Breaker
This was the story of the day. Reports before the auction suggested IPL-affiliated teams would avoid bidding on Pakistani players due to India-Pakistan geopolitical tensions. The ECB even released a joint statement promising selections based on performance, not politics.
Sunrisers Leeds, fully owned by SRH’s Sun TV Network, then went ahead and bought Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed for £190,000. That made him the first Pakistani player signed by an IPL-owned Hundred team.
However, the picture wasn’t entirely rosy. Of the 13 Pakistani men’s players available, only two found buyers. Usman Tariq went to Birmingham Phoenix (a non-IPL team) for £140,000. Big names like Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Saim Ayub all went unsold
Joe Root Goes to Cardiff, Not Headingley
Joe Root was the first name called at the auction, and Sunrisers Leeds (the rebranded version of his former team Northern Superchargers) surprisingly let him go. Welsh Fire eventually won the bidding at £240,000, beating out Manchester Super Giants and Southern Brave
The Sunrisers allowed all three hometown favourites, Root, Adil Rashid, and Jonny Bairstow, to sign elsewhere. A bold, deliberate strategy focused on building around Harry Brook and Brydon Carse as their English core.
Notable Unsold Players: Big Names That Found No Takers
The unsold list was arguably as dramatic as the sold list. Reputation alone guaranteed nothing at this auction:
| Player | Country | Role | Base Price (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faf du Plessis | South Africa | Batter | 75,000 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | Allrounder | 75,000 |
| Anrich Nortje | South Africa | Fast Bowler | 75,000 |
| Haris Rauf | Pakistan | Fast Bowler | 100,000 |
| Shadab Khan | Pakistan | Allrounder | 75,000 |
| Dawid Malan | England | Batter | 75,000 |
| Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | Fast Bowler | 75,000 |
| Saim Ayub | Pakistan | Batter | 50,000 |
| Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | Allrounder | 75,000 |
| Xavier Bartlett | Australia | Fast Bowler | 50,000 |
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | Allrounder | 50,000 |
Faf du Plessis going unsold was a shock, given his T20 franchise pedigree. But at 41, teams clearly preferred younger options with three-year lock-in potential.
Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje, being overlooked, raised eyebrows too. Limited overseas slots (just two per pre-auction phase, more at auction) meant teams had to pick wisely.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, along with Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, and Peter Siddle, withdrew before the auction due to scheduling conflicts with the CPL and other commitments.
Bargain Buys That Could Define the Tournament
For every £390,000 headline, there was a steal hiding in the nomination round. These are the picks that could end up being the best value deals:
| Player | Team | Price (£) | Why It’s a Steal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ollie Pope | MI London | 31,000 | England’s Test vice-captain at the base price |
| Jason Roy | MI London | 31,000 | Last player sold; former England white-ball star |
| Tim Seifert | Manchester Super Giants | 100,000 | Initially went unsold, then snapped up later |
| Trent Boult | MI London | 100,000 | MI family loyalty kept costs down |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Birmingham Phoenix | 100,000 | Experienced left-arm variations at a bargain |
| David Miller | Southern Brave | 110,000 | South Africa’s T20 finisher at a modest price |
Ollie Pope at £31,000 stands out as the steal of the auction. At barely 3% of what James Coles cost, Pope offers England’s No. 3 Test batter on a multi-year deal. Jason Roy, being the very last player sold, adds a bittersweet narrative twist.
Complete Team Squads After the Men’s Hundred 2026 Auction
Here’s how all eight teams look after the auction. Players in bold were pre-auction signings or retentions:
Birmingham Phoenix
Jacob Bethell (retained), Rehan Ahmed (direct signing), Mitchell Owen (direct signing), Donovan Ferreira (direct signing), Saqib Mahmood, Usman Tariq, Joe Clarke, Will Smeed, Jordan Thompson, Scott Currie, Laurie Evans, Chris Wood, Ethan Brookes, and Mustafizur Rahman.
London Spirit
Jamie Overton (retained), Liam Livingstone (direct signing), Adam Zampa (direct signing), Dewald Brevis (direct signing), Jonny Bairstow, David Willey, James Coles, Mason Crane, Adam Milne, Adam Hose, Tymal Mills, James Rew, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Matthew Fisher.
Manchester Super Giants
Jos Buttler (retained), Noor Ahmad (retained), Heinrich Klaasen (retained), Liam Dawson (direct signing), Aiden Markram, Josh Tongue, Sonny Baker, Gus Atkinson, Leus du Plooy, Tom Hartley, Tim Seifert, Tom Moores, Max Holden, Tawanda Muyeye, Paul Walter, George Scrimshaw.
MI London
Sam Curran (retained), Will Jacks (retained), Rashid Khan (retained), Nicholas Pooran (direct signing), James Vince, Tom Curran, Trent Boult, Sherfane Rutherford, Ollie Pope, Olly Stone, Ollie Sykes, Nathan Sowter, Jason Roy, Callum Parkinson.
Southern Brave
Jofra Archer (retained), Jamie Smith (direct signing), Marcus Stoinis (direct signing), Tristan Stubbs (direct signing), Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, David Miller, Dan Worrall, Tom Abell, Nikhil Chaudhary, Luke Wood, Thomas Rew.
Sunrisers Leeds
Harry Brook (direct signing), Brydon Carse (retained), Mitchell Marsh (direct signing), Ryan Rickelton (direct signing), Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence, Tom Alsop, Benny Howell, Ed Barnard, Liam Patterson-White, Tom Lawes, Matthew Potts, Abrar Ahmed, Reece Topley, Nathan Ellis.
Trent Rockets
Tom Banton (retained), Ben Duckett (direct signing), Tim David (direct signing), Mitchell Santner (direct signing), Finn Allen, David Payne, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Daniel Mousley, Matt Henry, Sam Billings, Aneurin Donald, Ben Mayes, Danny Briggs, Bradley Currie, Louis Kimber.
Welsh Fire
Chris Woakes (retained), Phil Salt (direct signing), Rachin Ravindra (direct signing), Marco Jansen (direct signing), Joe Root, Jordan Cox, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Ben Kellaway, Lockie Ferguson, Asa Tribe, Tom Aspinwall, Matthew Short, Sam Cook, Jafer Chohan.
Men’s Hundred 2026 Auction Highlights Analysis
Welsh Fire: The Root and Cox Power Move
Captain Phil Salt will be pleased. Welsh Fire spent over half their auction budget on just Joe Root (£240,000) and Jordan Cox (£300,000)), the reigning Hundred MVP. Combined with pre-signed Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra, this team bats deep and bowls fast.
MI London: The Mumbai Indians Blueprint
Kieron Pollard at the auction table, the Curran brothers reunited, Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, and Nicholas Pooran. MI London screams Mumbai Indians DNA. The three-time defending champions (as Oval Invincibles) are building a dynasty, and picking up Ollie Pope at base price was the cherry on top.
Manchester Super Giants: The Power Lineup
Buttler, Klaasen, Markram, Gus Atkinson. Name a more stacked top-to-middle order. With Noor Ahmad providing Afghan spin and Tom Hartley as the English left-arm option, MSG have built a squad that looks ready to challenge at Old Trafford.
Sunrisers Leeds: The Youngest Core
Harry Brook (£465,000) is the tournament’s highest-paid player, and with Brydon Carse, Mitchell Marsh, and the newly signed Abrar Ahmed for spin, Sunrisers have assembled a squad that prioritises youth and future upside at Headingley.
Key Numbers from the Men’s Hundred 2026 Auction
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Auction venue | Piccadilly Lights, central London |
| Auction date | March 12, 2026 |
| Auction duration | Approximately 7 hours |
| Men’s salary cap | £2.05 million per team |
| Purse remaining at the auction start | ~£1.1 million per team |
| Total players registered | ~1,000 from 18 countries |
| Men shortlisted for auction | 247 |
| Total players picked (auction day) | 80+ |
| Most expensive auction buy | James Coles (£390,000) |
| Most expensive overall signing | Harry Brook (£465,000, pre-signed) |
| Cheapest signings | £31,000 (base price) |
| Remaining squad spots | 2 per team (wildcard picks from T20 Blast) |
When Does The Hundred 2026 Start?
The Hundred 2026 runs from July 21 to August 16, 2026. The tournament opens with a double-header at The Kia Oval, featuring MI London vs Sunrisers Leeds in both the women’s and men’s competitions. The finals will be held at Lord’s on August 16.
Every match will be live on Sky Sports in the UK. Each day will feature a women’s game followed by a men’s fixture at the same venue.
Men’s Hundred 2026 Will Start From July 21, 2026
The Men’s Hundred 2026 auction marked a turning point for English franchise cricket. The IPL-style format delivered drama, controversy, and genuine surprises across a packed seven-hour day in London.
From James Coles’ record-breaking price tag to Abrar Ahmed’s barrier-breaking signing, from Faf du Plessis going unsold to Ollie Pope slipping through at base price, this auction set the stage for what promises to be the most competitive Hundred season yet. Roll on July 21.
