Ahead of The Hundred 2026 season, Northern Superchargers are officially renamed as the Sunrisers Leeds, following their acquisition by the Sun Group, who are the owners of the Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, having secured 100 percent ownership of the Northern Superchargers, in a record deal valued at Euros 100 million.

It saw the Sun Group buy out both the 49% stake of the EnglandCricket Board and the Yorkshire Cricket Club's 51% share, which makes the Superchargers the first franchise in the Hundred to be sold outright. Their co-owner, Kavya Maran, has spoken about the emotional and fan-driven spirit of the group.

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“Sunrisers isn't just a team, it's family, it's emotion, it's passion. Orange Army, you've always shown up in huge numbers with fierce passion from India to South Africa. Now it's time to paint the orange. We're ready to go hard, we're ready to go fearless, we're ready to play with fire. This team is yours, Orange Army. Every wicket, every run, every record we break, it's for you.” Kavya Maran expressed in a special video.

Northern Superchargers renamed as Sunrisers Leeds for The Hundred 2026

The investment is the Sun Group's second overseas investment after Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who are the two-time defending champions of the SA20, under the leadership of Aiden Markram, who, for the current edition of the event, has made his way to the Durban Supergiants and is leading the side.

Watch the video here: 

A new era begins in the 🇬🇧

Ms. Kaviya K. Maran shares her message for the Orange Army 🧡

Let’s Play With Fire 🔥

[@thehundred] pic.twitter.com/b640lTccxi

— Sunrisers Leeds (@sunrisersleeds) January 12, 2026

The former Northern Superchargers are still searching for their maiden The Hundred title as both the Men’s and Women’s teams finished fourth in the 2024 season. The men’s team is coached by Andrew Flintoff and captained by Harry Brook, while the women’s team recently appointed Lia Keightley as their head coach.

In the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad, who won the 2016 season of the tournament, finished as the runners-up of the 2024 season, losing the final to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In this competition, they are under the captaincy of Pat Cummins.

Sunrisers Hyderabad CEO Kavya Maran has been named as one of the 14 members of the Telangana Sports Policy board. The new panel has been formed as part of the state's broader strategy to promote sporting development. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy officially launched the policy during the inaugural Telangana Sports Conclave held in Hyderabad.

The Sports Policy of Telangana is designed to promote sports activities, upgrade the sports infrastructure, and provide help to sportsmen from the grassroots level up to the international level. A significant element of the policy includes the creation of a Board of Governors to supervise the Telangana Sports Development Fund. The fund will be directed toward helping athletes excel at national and international events, including the Olympics.

The policy has roped in several big names from Indian sports and business. World Cup-winning cricket captain Kapil Dev, Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra, ace badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, and business tycoon Sanjiv Goenka are some of the leading members of this committee of high-powered personalities.

Kavya Maran's Rise in Sports Administration

Kavya Maran, the daughter of Sun Group Chairman Kalanithi Maran, is one of the youngest people on the policy board. She is a regular presence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has been seen in the stands passionately cheering on the Sunrisers Hyderabad. This inclusion in the policy board is of major significance for the involvement of younger and impactful voices in Indian sports development.

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Kavya comes from a politically and economically influential family, and she has a strong legacy. It is known that her grandfather Murasoli Maran was a senior DMK leader and her uncle Dayanidhi Maran has been in the Lok Sabha several times and also held Union Cabinet positions. Her appointment as one of the most influential women in the Indian sports business highlights her increasing involvement and contribution in the field.

Kavya Kalanithi Maran, famously known as Kavya Maran, in a recent interview said about multiple aspects of cricket and her views on the game. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) is known for their power-packed batting order and a die heart fan base.

By that time, Kavya had become one of the popular franchise owners of the Indian Premier League. How did she start the journey in the cash-rich league? Kavya answered swiftly. Sunrisers Hyderabad is owned by the Kalanithi Maran-led Sun Group. Kavya has been involved with the franchise since 2013. It was Kalanithi Maran himself who asked Kavya to join the franchise. She was only 21 years old and just out of college when Kalanithi Maran bought the team.

“He came to me and said, ‘You understand this audience better; you love cricket,’” she said. "My mother and my grandfather [were into cricket]… So cricket just playing on television 24/7 was a part and parcel of life growing up. So, my involvement started quite organically."

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Kavya has to look multiple franchises 

Not only Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kavya has to look after multiple franchises, and all are cricket teams. So, her knowledge of cricket is beyond question. Northern Superchargers in The Hundred (UK-based league) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 League (South Africa-based league) are also owned by Kavya Maran. She understands how a good scouting prospect can help an entire cricket community. 

"For instance, The Hundred is a very short format. In SA20, their cultural upbringing is very different... So now, if I have found a talent when I go to the U.K., I'll bring him to the IPL, or I'll take him to SA20. Overall, it benefits international cricket... So, I think what is happening is amazing, and the future of cricket is only booming. Franchise cricket is playing a big role in it", she said.