Johnson Charles’ quick-fire 71 helps Sharjah Warriorz overwhelm Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets

Johnson Charles’ quick-fire 71 helps Sharjah Warriorz overwhelm Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
Johnson Charles of Sharjah Warriorz plays a shot during the DP World ILT20 win over the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium. (Pankaj Nangia/ILT20)
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Updated 29 January 2025
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Johnson Charles’ quick-fire 71 helps Sharjah Warriorz overwhelm Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets

Johnson Charles’ quick-fire 71 helps Sharjah Warriorz overwhelm Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
  • Adam Zampa shines with the ball with 2 for 28 to help restrict Dubai Capitals

DUBAI: Johnson Charles ignited the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday night by leading the Sharjah Warriorz to a resounding nine-wicket victory.

His breathtaking knock of 71 runs in 33 balls set up a flawless run chase in only 11.5 overs as the Warriorz maintained their undefeated record against the Dubai Capitals in the DP World ILT20.

An impactful show from the spinners, including two wickets for 28 runs from Adam Zampa in the first innings, restricted the Dubai Capitals to 131/9. The result gives the Warriorz’s net run rate a significant boost, keeping them firmly in the fray for a playoff berth.

The powerplay made the chase a mere formality as Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore dominated the bowling to set the highest powerplay score of the season. The pair raced to 79 runs in just six overs, with Charles smashing five towering sixes, including a remarkable 24-run over off Zahir Khan. 

Charles brought up his 50 in 21 balls, studded with six sixes and two fours. Halted by Sikandar Raza in the 11th over, he departed after striking three fours and eight sixes, which included a combination of power hitting, deft touches and switch-hits.

Kohler-Cadmore wrapped up proceedings in the next over with a clever boundary off Dushmantha Chameera. The Englishman finished with 54 runs in 32 balls, smashing eight fours and two sixes.

Earlier in the day, Adam Rossington bludgeoned a six and two fours as the powerplay saw 55 runs for the Capitals. Shai Hope played second fiddle to Rossington until the latter was accounted for by Zampa in the seventh over for 37 runs in 23 balls. 

Following the powerplay there was a steep drop in the run-rate. While Hope occupied one end, batting with restraint, the wickets tumbled around him as the spinners dominated the middle overs.

Zampa claimed another when he dismissed Gulbadin Naib, and skipper Sikandar Raza was removed by Ashton Agar. In the same over, Najibullah Zadran was run out to leave the Capitals in hot water at 85/4 in 12 overs. 

The UAE’s Rohan Mustafa kept the pressure on with the wickets of Khalid Shah and Dasun Shanaka to expose the tail. Meanwhile Hope’s stint at the crease came to an end for 45 runs in 52 balls at the hand of Tim Southee in the 18th over.

Rovman Powell provided a flicker of hope with an unbeaten 32 runs in only 16 balls, peppered with three fours and two sixes but the Dubai Capitals finished the innings at a below-par score of 131/9 in 20 overs. 

Player of the match Charles said: “They got off to a bit of a flier, but I love playing in Dubai because the conditions tend to get a bit skiddier, which suits my style.

“I thought Ashton Agar and Rohan Mustafa bowled exceptionally well and complemented each other perfectly. We managed to put the opposition under pressure.

“Ash and I have played a lot together in the past, and it’s always a pleasure to play alongside him. It felt almost nostalgic since we haven’t had many opportunities to play together recently.”

The Dubai Capitals’ captain Raza said: “I thought we were traditional in our batting. We needed more sweeps, reverse sweeps and switch-hits. We went into a shell rather than being aggressive.

“Johnson is a fantastic player and done that to many teams; it was quite hard to bowl at him. He played a lot of great shots. One bad game is not going to derail us. We will try to get this game out of (our) system and winning the next two is the target.”

 

Brief scores 

  • Sharjah Warriorz beat Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
  • Dubai Capitals 131/9 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 45, Adam Rossington 37, Rovman Powell 32 not out, Rohan Mustafa 2 for 12, Adam Zampa 2 for 28)
  • Sharjah Warriorz 135/1 in 11.5 overs (Johnson Charles 71, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 54 not out, Sikandar Raza 1 for 9)

 


Pakistan’s hopes dashed by New Zealand in ICC Champions Trophy opener

Pakistan’s hopes dashed by New Zealand in ICC Champions Trophy opener
Updated 20 February 2025
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Pakistan’s hopes dashed by New Zealand in ICC Champions Trophy opener

Pakistan’s hopes dashed by New Zealand in ICC Champions Trophy opener
  • New Zealand pull off 60-run win in Karachi despite missing key players such as Lockie Ferguson and Rachin Ravindra

KARACHI: Pakistan’s 29-year wait to host an International Cricket Council ended in disappointment when New Zealand handed the hosts a comprehensive 60-run defeat at Karachi's National Bank Stadium.

The ICC Champions Trophy opener, which began with such promise for Pakistan after they won the toss and opted to field, quickly unraveled.

The day’s first turning point came just two balls into the match when Fakhar Zaman injured himself during a chase to the boundary. This would have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan later.

Understandably, both teams started tentatively before Pakistan reduced New Zealand to 73 for three. This was Pakistan’s moment to grab the game, but a lack of frontline spin options to support Abrar began to tell as Will Young and Tom Latham built a match-defining partnership.

Young, who always seems to be on the edge of the team and might not have played had Rachin Ravindra been fit, crafted a brilliant 107 off 113 balls. He got through testing spells from Naseem Shah and the mystery spin of Abrar early in his innings to provide the perfect platform for an assault in the last 10 overs.

Latham looked assured from the first ball he received and got the correct balance between the need to rebuild the innings and being positive. He ended the innings unbeaten with 118 off 104 balls, in which he used the sweep shot to good effect. Fifty-two of his runs came square or behind square on the leg side.

The final flourish came from Glenn Phillips, who at one stage was 10 off 18 balls before reaching his 50 off the next 16 deliveries. His explosive 61 off 39 balls, including consecutive sixes off Shaheen Shah Afridi, helped New Zealand plunder 113 runs in the final 10 overs. Pakistan’s bowling, usually their strength, struggled to achieve control. Naseem Shah with 2 for 63 was the most economical, but Shaheen, no wicket for 68 and Haris Rauf, 2 for 83, had days to forget.

Pakistan’s chase was compromised before it began. Fakhar’s injury-enforced absence from the opening position led to a makeshift solution in Saud Shakeel, who fell early to Will O’Rourke for six. When Fakhar eventually batted at number four, he was visibly hampered, managing just 24 off 41 balls before falling to Michael Bracewell.

The story of Pakistan’s innings was one of no intent or game awareness. Babar Azam’s 64 came at a pace that hurt rather than helped, taking 81 balls to reach his fifty. The spinners, particularly Mitchell Santner, with 3 for 66 and Bracewell, dominated the middle overs on a pitch offering turn and variable bounce.

Salman Ali Agha tried to throw a few punches with smart, low-risk options for his 42 off 28 balls before Khushdil Shah showed real intent, his 69 off 49 balls providing some late entertainment before Pakistan were bowled out for 260.

The defeat puts Pakistan in a precarious position in a format that offers little margin for error. With just three group matches per team, they now face a must-win situation as they head to Dubai for their encounter with India on Feb. 23.

The prospect of an early exit from a tournament they are co-hosting looms large — a scenario that would be particularly bitter given the 29-year wait to bring ICC events back to Pakistani soil. The pressure will be immense in Dubai, where anything less than victory will see the team all but eliminated from their home tournament after only two matches. The passionate Karachi crowd which witnessed the setback against New Zealand will hope their team can summon the resilience that has become their trademark in recent years.

New Zealand’s victory, achieved despite missing key players such as Lockie Ferguson and Rachin Ravindra, sets them up perfectly in a tournament where fast starts are crucial. They will face India and Bangladesh in their other group matches.


Carnival of cricket awaits as ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off in Karachi

Carnival of cricket awaits as ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off in Karachi
Updated 19 February 2025
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Carnival of cricket awaits as ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off in Karachi

Carnival of cricket awaits as ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kicks off in Karachi
  • Pakistan ends 30 year wait for an international team with home team taking on New Zealand at the National Stadium

KARACHI: Landing in Karachi yesterday morning, the excitement was palpable. The city has been transformed into a carnival of cricket, with banners on buildings and faces beaming with anticipation.

There were concerns about the readiness of the venues, but the National Stadium has been renovated in a short space of time. It stands ready for its moment in the spotlight.

Today, when Pakistan faces New Zealand in the tournament opener, it will be more than just another cricket match. It will be the end of a 30-year wait to host a major tournament. A generation of cricket fans can finally get behind their stars on the big stage at home.

The lead up to the tournament has involved many challenges, not least India’s unwillingness to travel to Pakistan. Eventually, the parties compromised and settled on a hybrid option. But even this does not seem to have dampened the spirit in Pakistan.

Praise is due to Wasim Khan, a man who will be at the stadium for the opening match in his current role with the ICC. As CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board until September 2021, he laid the foundation for the country to host this trophy. His advocacy and relationships were vital in the convincing the world Pakistan could step up as host, and the next few weeks will be a statement that it is back and ready.

Turning to matters on the pitch, who are the favorites and which players will shine? In my opinion, this is one of the most open tournaments in recent memory. Over 19 action-packed days, eight of cricket's finest men’s teams will battle it out in what promises to be a fascinating sprint format which leaves little room for error.

The tournament’s compact nature is its secret weapon. Unlike the marathon of a World Cup, the 19day timeframe means teams need to hit the ground running. One bad day could spell a disastrous exit from the competition; a moment of brilliance could change fortunes. 

The eight teams are split into two groups. Group A features Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and New Zealand, whilst Group B throws together Australia, England, Afghanistan and South Africa. Each team faces their group opponents once, with the top two from each advancing to the semifinals.

What makes this edition particularly compelling is the level playing field. Australia, typically a powerhouse, enters the tournament without their first-choice pace attack — Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are managing injuries, while Mitchell Starc has withdrawn. Add to this the loss of Mitch Marsh with a back issue and, suddenly, the defending ODI world champions look vulnerable, although they should never be ruled out.

The tournament’s split hosting between Pakistan and Dubai adds another fascinating layer. India’s matches are all scheduled for Dubai, creating an interesting dynamic where they will enjoy significant support without the pressure of home conditions. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has become something of a second home for Indian cricket, potentially giving them a subtle edge. This, coupled with their depth and spinning options, makes them slight favorites.

England’s aggressive brand of cricket makes them dangerous but unpredictable in this format, while New Zealand can never be discounted. Pakistan, playing mostly at home, will be formidable, and South Africa’s bowling attack makes them serious contenders. Afghanistan, with their spin-heavy attack, feel ever closer to a big moment.

Only Bangladesh, struggling to find consistency at the top level, seem out of their depth. Nevertheless, in a 19-day tournament where momentum is everything, even they could string together three good days and find themselves in a semifinal.

In terms of players to look out for, I expect Jake Fraser-McGurk to announce himself as cricket’s next superstar. The tournament format suits his aggressive style perfectly. Noor Ahmed, well-travelled in the franchise leagues at 20 years of age, might finally make his mark in this format.

The injury-hit Australian pace attack opens the door for their next generation. I will be watching to see if Spencer Johnson becomes this tournament’s surprise package. Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, especially in home conditions, could make the difference in tight matches.

This Champions Trophy feels different. The compressed schedule, the split venues and no standout team has created perfect conditions for drama. On March 9, we will have the answer. As of now, any of seven teams could realistically lift the trophy.

Holders Pakistan have a team with determination in their eyes and can feel the energy of a nation willing them on.

When the first ball is bowled at the National Stadium, it will not just be about cricket. It will be about redemption, coming home, a nation’s love affair with a sport that never wavered, even in the darkest times. As the sun set over Karachi last night, casting long shadows across the practice nets where a few children still played, it was difficult not to feel that something magical was about to unfold.

For now, though, the city holds its breath, waiting for the start. Cricket is coming home and Karachi is ready to welcome it with open arms.


Kohli, Rohit near endgame as India chase Champions Trophy glory

Kohli, Rohit near endgame as India chase Champions Trophy glory
Updated 18 February 2025
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Kohli, Rohit near endgame as India chase Champions Trophy glory

Kohli, Rohit near endgame as India chase Champions Trophy glory
  • Age is clearly catching up with the duo ahead of India’s first match of the 50-over Champions Trophy, against Bangladesh on Thursday in Dubai
  • Despite intense conjecture about their futures India head coach Gautam Gambhir said the two stalwarts will have “massive roles” to play at the Champions Trophy

DUBAI: India captain Rohit Sharma and superstar batsman Virat Kohli enter the Champions Trophy this week with intense focus on their dwindling powers and speculation over when they will retire.

The 37-year-old Rohit and Kohli, 36, got back among the runs to some degree in India’s 3-0 ODI home sweep of England last week.

But both have been mired in long lean patches in Tests and have already retired from T20 cricket following last year’s World Cup triumph.

Age is clearly catching up with the duo ahead of India’s first match of the 50-over Champions Trophy, against Bangladesh on Thursday in Dubai.

Neither player — both mainstays of a formidable India team for more than 15 years — has said what their plans are.

But one Indian media report, citing anonymous sources at the cricket board, said opener Rohit had been pressed to make a decision on his future by the time the tournament ends.

Rohit’s Test career already looks over, the skipper having “rested” for the decisive, final Test against Australia.

“Hopefully they know when the right time to play is,” India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev said.

“When they think it is not, they will call it off.”

Following the bruising 3-1 Test defeat in Australia, India’s board ordered contracted players to play domestic cricket.

But both flopped, with Rohit scoring three and 28 in his first and second innings for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and Kohli scoring six off 15 balls for Delhi.

If the idea was to help them play their way back into form, it did not work.

Despite intense conjecture about their futures India head coach Gautam Gambhir said the two stalwarts will have “massive roles” to play at the Champions Trophy.

India, who will play their games in Dubai after refusing to visit neighbors and hosts Pakistan, are favorites to win the title for a third time.

Rohit came into the England ODIs with just 31 runs in three matches in the Australia Test series defeat.

He scored two in the first ODI against England before rolling back the years in the second with a 90-ball 119.

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar was skeptical that Rohit could push on from there.

“He wanted a big hundred and he finally got it,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.

“Whether he can hit a few more... we will have to wait. I am not confident.”

Rohit then got out for one in the final match against England.

It was in that match that Kohli finally came good with his 52 — his 73rd half-century in 297 ODIs.

Kohli started tentatively before finding his groove in Ahmedabad to finish with seven fours and one six in his 55-ball innings.

No matter what happens at the Champions Trophy, the expectation in India is that Kohli will continue to play Test cricket.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen warned India against discarding the duo prematurely.

“You can’t write these guys off because of the aura they have when they walk out to bat,” said Pietersen in his role as a television pundit.

Pietersen said that Kohli in particular had earned the right to go out on his own terms.

“The question mark doesn’t come down to me, you, the selectors, the coaches, and the other players,” he said.

“Virat Kohli can only answer the question in terms of how long he wants to continue and how much fight he has to get better and to create those high standards that everybody expects from him.”


All set for Champions Trophy start after India-Pakistan row, boycott calls

All set for Champions Trophy start after India-Pakistan row, boycott calls
Updated 17 February 2025
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All set for Champions Trophy start after India-Pakistan row, boycott calls

All set for Champions Trophy start after India-Pakistan row, boycott calls
  • Arch-rivals India and Pakistan, who only face off in international competitions because of the politics, clash in Dubai on Feb. 23 in the group phase
  • India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh form Group A while Australia, England, Afghanistan and South Africa are in Group B

KARACHI: The Champions Trophy begins Wednesday after a turbulent buildup that saw the tournament split between Pakistan and Dubai, and with England facing calls to boycott their match against Afghanistan.

The event, regarded as second only to the World Cup in the one-day game, runs until March 9 and is the first global cricket tournament hosted by Pakistan in nearly three decades.

India’s matches will however be played in the UAE after the sport’s financial superpower refused to visit their neighbor over long-standing political tensions.

A month-long impasse ended in December when the International Cricket Council said that India would play their games in Dubai.

It raises the prospect of the final of the eight-nation showpiece taking place there, rather than in Pakistan, if India get that far — a good chance given they are favorites to lift the trophy.

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan, who only face off in international competitions because of the politics, clash in Dubai on Feb. 23 in the group phase.

England play Afghanistan three days later in Lahore in a match that has been met with a backlash in some quarters in Britain.

More than 160 British politicians called for a boycott in response to the Taliban government’s ban on women in sport.

England Cricket Board chairman Richard Thompson vowed the match would go ahead, saying a “coordinated international response” by the cricket community would achieve more than unilateral action.

The Champions Trophy will be Pakistan’s first ICC event since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

Karachi and Rawalpindi are the other Pakistani cities that will stage games.

Pakistan became a no-go area for foreign teams after the visiting Sri Lankan squad were attacked by gunmen in 2009, leaving eight people dead and wounding several touring players.

But with improved security across most of the country, international cricket returned to Pakistan in 2020.

India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh form Group A while Australia, England, Afghanistan and South Africa are in Group B.

Two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals in Dubai and Lahore.

Pakistan are reigning champions, having defeated India in the final in 2017 at The Oval in London.

But it is two-time winners India who are favorites, with superstar batsman Virat Kohli hoping to overcome a poor run of form by his sky-high standards.

It could be the 36-year-old’s last hurrah on the international stage, with captain Rohit Sharma also likely to retire after the tournament.

“India is playing superb all-round cricket and so are among the favorites for the Champions Trophy,” former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar told AFP.

“The other teams, in my opinion, to watch out for are defending champions Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa.”

India will however be missing ace pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia beat hosts India to win the one-day World Cup in 2023 but they are missing several key players.

Their formidable pace attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are all out.

Coupled with the sudden retirement from ODIs of Marcus Stoinis and injury to Mitchell Marsh — both key all-rounders — and Australia suddenly look vulnerable.

They were well beaten 2-0 in Sri Lanka in a two-match series last week. Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy.

Pakistan will open the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy with a match against New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday.

The co-hosts are unpredictable, as they showed in the last edition of the tournament, losing to India by 124 runs in the opening match before winning the final against them by 180 runs.

England go into the competition under a cloud, having been outclassed by India in both a T20 and one-day series in the leadup.

With quality spinners led by Rashid Khan, Afghanistan are dangerous.

They shocked England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup and reached the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup last year.


Sale of The Hundred hits the jackpot

Sale of The Hundred hits the jackpot
Updated 13 February 2025
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Sale of The Hundred hits the jackpot

Sale of The Hundred hits the jackpot
  • Rancor over The Hundred concept mitigated as 8 clubs paid eye-watering sums by investors for stakes in the tournament

It feels like the end of the beginning for The Hundred. Eye-watering sums were paid between Feb. 6 and 12 for shares in the eight “franchises” that constitute the tournament.

There is no denying that it has been a divisive and polarizing concept. However, in what has been described as the Indian Premier League moment for cricket in England and Wales, there is partial closure on this rancor because of the amount of money that has been raised. The next concern is how it will be spent by the beneficiaries.

In first place are the seven County Cricket Clubs, plus the Marylebone Cricket Club, which hold the franchises, the so-called hosts. It has always been something of a misnomer to term them franchisees since the tournament has been owned by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The ECB footed the start-up costs, a significant part of which were payments of £1.3 million ($1.6 million) per year to the 18 counties to secure the necessary two-thirds majority. Eleven of them are non-hosting and were not in favor of The Hundred because it provided them no benefit. The funding, termed a dividend, overcame objections.

In 2024, the counties supported the ECB in its wish to open up The Hundred to private investment. Eight new companies were to be created, with the ECB gifting each one 51 percent of its equity, which the holders can either keep, sell partially or wholly. The balance of 49 percent retained by the ECB would be offered to the market. This process is now complete.

First to be sold was the Oval Invincibles at Surrey, where the Reliance Group paid £60 million for the ECB’s 49 percent stake. Reliance is led by Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man, who counts the Mumbai Indians, MI Emirates, MI Cape Town and MI New York within his franchise portfolio. Surrey CCC will retain its 51 percent share.

Similarly, Warwickshire CCC retained its 51 percent share in Birmingham Phoenix, with the ECB’s 49 percent share bought by the American owners of Birmingham City Football Club, Knighthead Capital, for £40 million. This may not please supporters of Aston Villa, the rival soccer club in the city.

Then, the ECB’s 49 percent share in the Welsh Fire was bought by IT entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, founder and chairman of Infinite Computer Solutions, for £40 million, with Glamorgan CCC retaining its 51 percent share.

These sums were eclipsed by the £145 million which was paid by a Silicon Valley consortium for 49 percent of the Lord’s-based London Spirit. It is believed that this stake was the subject of intense bidding between interested parties, including Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group. The attraction of this prestige stake lies in the access that it provides to Lord’s and its owners, the MCC.

Nikesh Arora, CEO of the security firm, Palo Alto Networks, led the consortium, called Cricket Investor Networks Ltd. It is believed to comprise “11 high net-worth individuals,” who profess a shared love of cricket. Amongst them are Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google; Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe; Egon Durban, CEO of Silver Lake Management; and Satyan Gajwani, vice-chairman of Times Internet. He is also co-founder of Major League Cricket in the US and co-owner of the Seattle Orcas team.

Any disappointment experienced by Goenka in losing the battle for the stake in the London Spirit was put to one side, as it acquired a 70 percent stake in Lancashire CCC. The county became the first one to sell a part, 21 percent, of its share in the Manchester Originals. RPSG, owners of the IPL’s Lucknow Super Giants, agreed to pay around £81 million for the 70 percent stake.

Across the Pennines, Yorkshire CCC, Lancashire’s historic and greatest rivals, has well-publicized financial issues. It now has the opportunity to deal with them. The ECB’s 49 percent stake in the Leeds-based Northern Superchargers, plus Yorkshire’s 51 percent stake, has all been sold to Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Group, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sunrisers Eastern Cape for around £100 million.

A little further south, it was Nottingham-based Trent Rockets’ turn in the spotlight. This sale had originally been scheduled for Feb. 3 but was delayed as the ECB sought to keep investors, who had failed with earlier bids, involved in the process. This may have caused some nervousness in Nottingham CCC, as they watched potentially preferred bidders place their money elsewhere.

Ultimately, Cain International, which had bid for the London Spirit, topped the live auction on Feb. 11, acquiring the ECB’s 49 percent stake for around £40 million in competition with the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders and Indian investor Amit Jain, who was working with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The Cain Group is led by Chelsea FC director Jonathan Goldstein and backed by Chelsea’s co-owner Todd Boehly, who, in addition to Chelsea, has co-ownership of Strasbourg FC and the LA Dodgers baseball team. Nottingham Forest FC may feel uncomfortable seeing Chelsea parked on an adjacent lawn.

The final sale of the ECB’s equity focused on the Southern Brave team of Hampshire CCC. In late September 2024, the company that owns Hampshire CCC announced a takeover by the GMR Group, which co-owns the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, plus franchises in the UAE and South Africa. The £120 million deal was for the control of Hampshire CCC and its infrastructure. Plans to acquire the Brave would wait until the ECB’s sale process was revealed.

A key concern of the ECB was that its equity share should not be acquired by GMR at below-market value. Since that value would only emerge once bidding started, it made sense for the ECB to leave the Hampshire sale until last. On Feb. 12, it was reported that GMR had paid around £48 million for the ECB’s stake, paving the way for GMR to acquire total control of the Southern Brave. The value of Hampshire’s 51 percent share is unclear.

There is more clarity around the funds raised by the sale of the ECB’s equity. Based on data so far released, it appears that almost £500 million has been raised. This will be music to the ears of the second and third groups of potential beneficiaries, the 11 non-hosting counties and grassroots cricket.

Ninety percent of funds from the sale of the ECB’s 49 percent stake will go to the 18 counties and the MCC, with 10 percent going to the recreational game. Eighty percent of funds raised from sales of the 51 percent stakes go to the host county, with 10 percent split between the 18 counties and MCC and 10 percent going to the recreational game.

Over the next eight weeks, the four IPL and four non-IPL owners will finalize their agreements with the host counties. This is too late to have a significant impact on the 2025 season, regarded as a transitional one. No doubt, at the top of discussions, will be re-branding, attracting players, and their salaries, alongside the distribution of responsibilities between the hosts and the new investors.

Whilst not a new beginning, it seems clear that English and Welsh cricket will never be the same again.