The former T20 World Cup winner of the Indian cricket team, Dinesh Karthik, has been named the mentor and the batting coach of the Men’s The Hundred team, London Spirit, in what is his first support-staff role with a franchise outside the Indian Premier League. Karthik recently won the IPL 2025 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the very first time.

Karthik is a prominent broadcaster and commentator who had a similar role with the RCB side during the IPL 2026 after finishing his career in the IPL in 2024. He is also an active cricketer and is currently playing the International League T20 for the Sharjah Warriorz in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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“It's a pleasure to welcome DK to London Spirit. He is a truly original thinker in our game, and his vast experience in short-format and franchise cricket will be invaluable to us. He's also great fun to work with and brings an infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything he does.” The Spirit director of cricket, Mo Bobat, expressed in a statement.

Dinesh Karthik named mentor and batting coach of London Spirits for The Hundred 2026

It hasn’t been a great event for the Spirits, who haven’t made it into the title round of the five-season-old The Hundred. But Karthik’s presence could end up being the turning point as they signed some exciting players- David Warner and Kane Williamson- in the last season.

“What an exciting time to be joining London Spirit. When I heard about the plans and the ambitions of Mo, MCC, and the Tech Titans, I was really enthusiastic to join. To spend the English summer working at Lord's is truly a dream come true. It is the ground where I made my debut for India, and I played my last Test match - Lord's is very close to my heart.” Karthik reckoned.

The Chennai-born has been a veteran of 414 T20s with 7554 runs in 366 innings at an average of 26.88 and a strike rate of 136.52, thanks to 35 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 97 runs.

In a major development for The Hundred, the Northern Superchargers have officially been renamed Sunrisers Leeds, marking a new era for the Leeds-based franchise. The rebranding comes after the Sun Group, an Indian media conglomerate and owners of IPL’s Sunrisers Hyderabad and SA20’s Sunrisers Eastern Cape, completed a £100 million takeover earlier this year.

The ownership change means the Sun Group now holds 100% control of the franchise after acquiring both Yorkshire’s 51% stake and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) 49% share. Documents filed with the UK’s Companies House confirm that the Superchargers’ name will be discontinued, replaced by Sunrisers Leeds to align with the group’s global cricket identity.

Two More Name Changes on the Horizon

The Hundred’s eight franchises are now under private ownership, and Sunrisers Leeds may not be the only side with a new identity next season.

• Manchester Originals are set to become Manchester Super Giants, following Lancashire’s deal with the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which also owns IPL’s Lucknow Super Giants.
• Oval Invincibles are likely to be rebranded as MI London, with Reliance Industries Limited (owners of Mumbai Indians) expected to finalise their minority investment soon.

These changes are part of a broader internationalisation strategy for the tournament, as global investors bring familiar branding and cross-league visibility to The Hundred.

Yorkshire’s Financial Relief

Yorkshire County Cricket Club CEO Sanjay Patel said earlier this year that the sale has been crucial in stabilising the club’s finances. “The deal puts the club in a strong financial position, which has been far from the case for many years here, and we can start looking towards a very bright future,” Patel stated.

ALSO SEE: Five remarkable similarities between India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup win and 2011 Men’s World Cup glory

On-Field Impact

The Superchargers’ women’s team enjoyed a stellar 2025 season, clinching The Hundred title after defeating Southern Brave at Lord’s. The men’s team, meanwhile, fell short in the eliminator but will return next season with a new head coach, with reports linking Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Daniel Vettori to the vacancy following Andrew Flintoff’s departure.

The Hundred’s New Era

The ECB has also confirmed a shift from a draft system to an open player auction from the 2026 season. The move, along with increased salaries and an extra overseas player per team, aims to attract top international stars and boost the competition’s global appeal.

The Hundred 2026 season is scheduled to run from July 21 to August 16, ushering in a new era both on and off the field, with Sunrisers Leeds leading the way as the league’s first fully rebranded team.

Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja showed once again why he is one of India’s finest all-rounders as he scored his sixth Test hundred in the opening match against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. With this knock, Jadeja entered a very special club. He became only the sixth cricketer in history to have both six or more Test centuries and over 300 wickets to his name. The legendary list includes Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Daniel Vettori, and Ravi Ashwin.

Ravindra Jadeja Joins Elite Club With Sixth Test Century in Ahmedabad

Jadeja brought up his century off 169 balls, reaching the milestone with a single against Jomel Warrican. He celebrated in trademark style with his sword celebration, bringing the home crowd to its feet. Interestingly, Washington Sundar was at the other end, just like the last time Jadeja got a Test hundred in Manchester against England.

This time though, it was not about saving the match but stamping India’s dominance. At the time of his century, India had already crossed 437/5, with their lead stretching well past 270 runs. India ended Day 2 at 448/5, ahead by 286 runs.

🚨 6TH TEST HUNDREDS FOR SIR RAVINDRA JADEJA 🚨

- The No.1 Test Allrounder in the World. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/zmhFws4LmD

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) October 3, 2025

ALSO READ: [WATCH] Ravindra Jadeja's special sword celebration after fifty during IND vs WI Ahmedabad Test
Jadeja’s innings was built on a brilliant 206-run stand with Dhruv Jurel, who scored his maiden Test hundred (125 off 210 balls). Earlier in the day, KL Rahul also scored a century his first on home soil in over 3,200 days. Jadeja now stands just 10 runs away from another rare record joining Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, and Daniel Vettori as the only players with 4000 Test runs and 300-plus wickets. With every milestone, Jadeja is proving why he is one of the greatest all-rounders in this generation.

Winning one title isn’t an easy job in the T20 leagues around the world, but to do it thrice and in consecutive years is exceptional. On August 31, Oval Invincible earned their third consecutive Men’s Hundred title when they faced Trent Rockets, the winners of the 2022 edition.

Let’s take a look at the teams that have won three or more successive tournaments in men’s T20s before.

1. Victoria (2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08) 

Victoria earned the title in the very first season of the Australian T20 event in 2005/06 when they got the better of New South Wales, with Brad Hodge celebrating the first century of the competition. In the next edition, they won all the games to top the table and defended 160 in the final against Tasmania, with Mick Lewis picking four wickets.

In 2007/08, Victoria recorded their first-ever defeat to WA in the group stage of the competition before bouncing back with three back-to-back wins, before beating the same side in the final to complete the hat-trick of wins, becoming the first team to do so in the T20s.

2. Sialkot Stallions (2006, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009, 2009-10)

The Sialkot side made a poor stand in the first season of the Pakistan National T20 Cup, winning the final against Faisalabad Wolves to claim the maiden title. In the next season, they extended the dominance to beat the Karachi Dolphins before stretching their winning streak to 16 games, with a seven-wicket win in the final to complete a hat-trick of titles.

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Their success, during the 2009 season, against the Lahore Lions, meant they had won 20 successive games. In 2009-10, they added their fifth title with a one-sided final win over the Wolves, extending the streak to 24 matches, a record that still stands firm.

3. Wayamba (2008, 2009, 2010)

Under the captaincy of Jehan Mubarak, they won their three successive T20 titles in the Sri Lankan domestic Cup from 2008 to 2010. In the first season of these, they turned the tables with a 31-run win in the final before defending the title by beating Banshari South by five wickets.

In 2010, they went through another unbeaten campaign in the league standings and ended as the title winners against Ruhuna, by a massive 95 runs to complete a hat-trick of titles.  

4. Trinidad and Tobago (2011, 2012, and 2013) 

The most successful team of the Caribbean T20 Cup, Trinidad and Tobago, won the last three seasons under the leadership of Dinesh Ramdin. In 2011, they went through an undefeated campaign against Hampshire before retaining the trophy in the very next season of the tournament against the Windward Islands.

In the final edition in 2013, they played a round-robin format and finished as the unbeaten side in the league. They topped the league and qualified directly for the final, where they got the better of Guyana by nine wickets to claim a hat-trick of titles.

5. Titans (2015, 2016, 2017)

The Titans dominated the domestic T20 circuit of the South African side with three successive titles under the captaincy of Albie Morkel. They topped the chart in each of the three seasons. In 2015, they beat the Dolphins to win their fourth title of the T20s, having won in 2005, 2008, and 2012.

In 2016, they got the media by edging past the Warriors by just six runs. In 2017, they again locked horns with the Dolphins in the summit clash and completed the hat-trick with another dominating victory by seven wickets.

6. Jaffna Kings (2020, 2021, 2022)

In the Lanka Premier League (LPL) history, the Jaffna Kings have become the first and only side to win three seasons of the event, under Thisara Perera. In the first season, they got the better of Dambulla Kings in the semis and outplayed Galle Gladiators in the final.

In 2021, they got renamed as Jaffna Kings and once again beat the Galle side in the final for successive titles. The 2022 season saw them finish second and beat the Colombo Stars by two wickets in a thrilling final.

7. Oval Invincibles (2023, 2024, 2025) 

In the 2023 season of The Hundred, Oval Invincibles finished at the top of the points table and beat the Manchester Originals by 14 runs to win their first title in 2023 under the captaincy of Sam Billings. They repeated the same performance in the following season with six wins in eight games, and then got the better of Southern Brave in the final.

In the recent 2025 season, Invincibles repeated the same performance to top the chart and smacked the David Willey-led Trent Rockets in the final to win their third successive title in the T20 league history.

Comilla Victorians also won the three back-to-back BPL titles in 2019, 2022, and 2023, but they didn’t feature in the 2019-20 season.

Hat-trick of winning a T20 title, Oval Invincibles, under the captaincy of Sam Billings, won their third consecutive The Hundred trophy. Billings, who is already a well-established name in international cricket, especially in the Twenty20 format, remains mostly ineffective in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

In the past, the keeper-batter played for three different IPL franchises and never looked in a stable condition. But now, he is more mature and sensible according to the conditions of a match. Sam last took part in IPL back in 2022; now it's 2025, and he has developed himself more as a cricketer and as a leader as well. As of now, there can be multiple reasons behind rethinking about him ahead of the mini auction of IPL 2026:

3 reasons why IPL franchises should consider Sam Billings for IPL 2026:

Overseas Keeper-batter: Nowadays, in limited overs cricket, keeper-batters have to play a huge role. A prolific wicketkeeper, who has a pair of hands to hit the ball hard, always attracts scouts. Rahmatullah Gurbaz, Quinton De Kock, and Sanju Samson are a few of the many Indian and overseas keeper-batters in the IPL. Over the years, some of the overseas keepers proved underwhelming, or in some cases, franchises may have to see better ones to add more value to the squad. Sam can be a good option who can add more value to a squad with experience and skills. 

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Leadership qualities: The cricketer who has multiple T20 titles under his belt is definitely someone who can add some value in a team's leadership roles. With the recent win in The Hundred tournament, he became the third most successful captain to win the most T20 titles with five victories. Billings first guided Kent Spitfires to Vitality Blast glory in 2021, then lifted the ILT20 trophy with Dubai Capitals. If any team has been in search of a captain, then the Kent-born can end the search. 

Batting depth: With his versatile style of batting, the English cricketer can be a pillar in the middle order. Now 34, with a much more mature mindset, he has developed the potential to drag an inning from the lower batting order, though his batting stats are not as impressive as his record as a skipper. If any franchise considers Sam as a middle-order batter, then he can be used as a backup option to increase bench strength. 

During the final of The Hundred 2025, Oval Invincibles met Trent Rockets at Lord’s in London. The captain of the Oval side, Sam Billings, won the toss and decided to bat first under pressure, as they looked to post a huge score on the board. Thanks to Will Jacks’ fine knock of 72 runs in 41 balls, they were able to post 168/5 in their allotted 100 balls.

Jordan Cox also contributed with 40 runs in 28deliveries at a strike rate of over 140, scoring four boundaries and one six. In reply, the Rockets were not in the chase from the beginning of the chase. Apart from Marcus Stoinis’ knock of 64 runs in 38 balls, thanks to four boundaries and five sixes at a strike rate of 168.42, no one was able to put up a huge score.

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Oval Invincibles won their third consecutive title in The Hundred, as Billings joined Shoaib Malik to win his fifth title, which is the third-most titles in the shortest format of the game. It was an incredible all-round performance from the franchise.

The Hundred 2025: Award winners, Prize Money, and Record-breaking performances full list

The winners of the event carried a big cheque of INR 1.8 crore for the winners of the competition, while the runners-up of the tournament earned a prize of INR 90 lakh. The most valuable player got INR 6 lakh while the top run-scorer and wicket-taker got INR 6 lakh each. The top-tier players in the men’s tournament got an INR 2.4 crore salary,

Men’s competition-

Most runs- Jordan Cox (Oval Invincibles)- 327 runs

Most wickets- Josh Tongue (Manchester Originals)- 14 wickets

Player of the Tournament:

Jordan Cox- “Just having a bit of fun. Our team's so strong, it's about having fun with your mates. Donovan Ferrira's only faced about 40 balls. Shows how deep we bat. Class lineup, and very fortunate.”

Player of the Match:

Nathan Sowter- “Obviously, to play in this team is incredible. Gave me so many opportunities to do well. Tonight was my night. Very happy. The last few games have given the reins to lead the spin attack.”

Sowter picked up three wickets in his set of 20 balls, conceding 25 runs with seven dot balls. Those three wickets include the two opponent openers, Tom Banton and Joe Root, along with the number three batter, Rehan Ahmed.

In a tense Hundred 2025 Final at Lord's, Trent Rockets Men fell short by 26 runs against Oval Invincibles Men. Chasing a target of 169, the Rockets were restricted to a total of 142/8 and never seemed to catch up after succumbing to early losses. Will Jacks' destructive batting performance in the first innings gave Invincibles a head start, which was carried over to their bowling performance; Nathan Sowter taking 2 early and crucial wickets made for a difficult chase. Combined with injuries and disrupted preparation, the Rockets could not match the sharpness of a settled Invincibles unit. Below are the main reasons for the Trent Rockets Men defeat:

1. Will Jacks’ explosive innings

Will Jacks’ 72 off 41 balls set the tone for Invincibles, giving them the perfect foundation. His aggressive strokeplay left the Rockets struggling to control runs. This early onslaught ensured a formidable total of 168/5.

2. Nathan Sowter’s devastating opening burst

Sowter dismissed Tom Banton, Joe Root, and Rehan Ahmed in quick succession. His spell of 3/25 left the Rockets’ top order in tatters. These blows meant the Rockets had no platform to launch their chase.

See Also: The Hundred 2025, Final: Oval Invincibles vs Trent Rockets full match highlights and scorecard

3. Missed momentum and disruptions ahead of the final

The Rockets had some disrupted preparation after a rain-affected eliminator only 20 hours before. Lockie Ferguson pulled out due to an injury, and Dillon Pennington came in at the last minute, which meant the bowling balance was weakened. The Invincibles looked settled and strong; Adam Zampa delivered a controlled 1/21.

Due to the no-result 24 hours ago during the eliminator at the Kennington Oval in South London, Trent Rockets qualified for the final to face the top-ranked Oval Invincibles, who ended at the opening position in the points table. Both teams locked horns with each other for the final of The Hundred 2025 at Lord’s in London.

Oval’s captain, Sam Billings, won the toss and decided to bat first under pressure of the final. They made the solitary change as Adam Zampa, who flew from Australia for the one-off encounter, came into the eleven in place of Miles Hammond. Rockets brought back Dillon Pennington and Ben Sanderson for the all-important final.

Oval Invincibles post huge score of 168/5 in first innings

After T Muyeye’s cheap dismissal, Will Jacks and Jordan Cox posted a huge partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket, with the former celebrating 72 runs in 41 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries and a couple of sixes at a strike rate of 175.61. Cox drilled 40 runs in 28 balls at a strike rate of 142.86.

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Their middle order couldn’t contribute much with the bat as they kept losing regular wickets one after another, being reduced to 168/5 in their allotted 100 deliveries during the first innings.

Trent Rockets remains runners-up as Oval Invincble win third successive title 

Rockets had the worst start in the event, with them losing Rehan Ahmed and Joe Rppt in three deliveries. Tom Banton also went back to the pavilion after a couple of balls before the captain, David Willey, went back to the dressing room for 14 runs in eight balls.

Marcus Stoinis kept fighting for more contributions with the bat. He celebrated his fifty and got out on the last ball of the innings for 64 runs in 37 balls with the help of four boundaries and five sixes at a strike rate of 168.42, but they fell short by just 26 runs as they the Invincibles record their third consecutive title of The Hundred history.

Match Scorecard Summary- 

The Oval Invincibles have dominated this tournament after claiming top spot in the group stage with six wins from eight contests to book their place in the final. 

The Rockets have been one of the most dependable teams this season, taking six wins in eight outings to grab second place and seal their playoff position. Their Eliminator, against Northern Superchargers, was washed out due to rain, and the Rockets made it to the finals as they finished above the Superchargers on the points table, who were at number three.

OVI vs TRT Match Details

Date: 31st August, 2025

Time: 10:30 PM IST

Venue: Lord's, London 

Live Streaming: Fancode  

OVI vs TRT Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: CPL 2025: TKR vs STKNP 19th Match, Match Prediction– Who will win the Match?

Top Batters OVI vs TRT

• Jordan Cox (OVI) - 327 runs in this tournament 

• Joe Root (TRT) - 229 runs in this tournament 

• Tom Banton (TRT) - 234 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler OVI vs TRT

• Rehan Ahmed (TRT) - 11 wickets in this tournament

• Sam Curran (OVI)  - 12 wickets in this tournament 

• Tom Curran (OVI) - 11 wickets in this tournament 

OVI vs TRT Recent Performance

OVI vs TRT Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If OVI bats first

• First Innings score prediction- OVI is expected to score 160-175 runs

• Result prediction- OVI will win the match by 15-20 Runs 

Scenario 2- If TRT bats first

• First Innings score prediction- TRT is expected to score 135-145 runs.

• Result prediction- OVI will win the match by 4 wickets 

OVI vs TRT Predicted Playing XI

Oval Invincibles (OVI) Playing XI 

Will Jacks, Tawanda Muyeye, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Sam Billings (c & wk), Donovan Ferreira, Tom Curran, Miles Hammond, Adam Zampa, Saqib Mahmood, Jason Behrendorff.

Trent Rockets (TRT) Playing XI

Tom Banton, Joe Root, Rehan Ahmed, Ross Whiteley, David Willey (c), Marcus Stoinis, George Linde, Sam Hain, Ben Cox (wk), Sam James Cook, Lockie Ferguson.

OVI vs TRT Complete Squad

Oval Invincibles  - 

Kane Williamson (captain), Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, David Warner, Daniel Worrall, Richard Gleeson, Luke Wood, Olly Stone, Ashton Turner, Ollie Pope, Jafer Chohan, Keaton Jennings, Wayne Madsen, Sean Dickson, Ryan Higgins.

Trent Rockets -

Tom Moores(WK), Joe Root, Samuel Cook, Sam Hain, Tom Alsop(WK), Tom Banton(WK), Calvin Harrison, Marcus Stoinis, David Willey(C), George Linde, Rehan Ahmed, Max Holden, Adam Hose, Lockie Ferguson, Dillon Pennington, Ben Sanderson, Callum Parkinson, Akeal Hosein.

OVI vs TRT Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Oval Invincibles To win

We predict that Oval Invincibles will win this Hundred Men's match. Will Jacks, Sam Curran and Donovan Ferreira will be key players to watch out for.

Oval Invincibles (OVI) will face Trent Rockets (TRT) at Lord's, London, on Saturday, August 31, in the final of The Hundred Men’s  2025. The Invincibles, who won in 2023 and 2024, will be aiming for three titles in a row. They finished the group stage in first place through 8 matches with 6 wins. Trent Rockets finished second in the league and are in the final after a no-result in their Eliminator against Northern Superchargers. These two teams will be hungry to face each other for the trophy and finish their season on a high note. It should be an exciting match-up between two evenly matched, in-form teams.

OVI vs TRT: Match Details

• Match: Oval Invincibles vs Trent Rockets
• Date: August 31, 2025
• Time: 10:30 PM IST
• Venue: Lord's, London,
• Tournament: The Hundred 2025 – Final

OVI vs TRT: Live Streaming Details

See Also: The Hundred 2025 Final: OVI vs TRT head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

OVI vs TRT: Predicted Playing XIs

Oval Invincibles (OVI): Will Jacks, Tawanda Muyeye, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Sam Billings (c & wk), Donovan Ferreira, Tom Curran, Miles Hammond, Nathan Sowter, Saqib Mahmood, Jason Behrendorff

Trent Rockets (TRT): Tom Banton, Joe Root, Rehan Ahmed, Ross Whiteley, David Willey (c), Marcus Stoinis, George Linde, Sam Hain, Ben Cox (wk), Sam James Cook, Lockie Ferguson