Mumbai: JioStar has acquired the exclusive linear and digital broadcasting rights for The Hundred 2026 in India from the official rights holder, Sony Pictures Networks India. The acquisition will see all 68 matches from both the men’s and women’s competitions broadcast live exclusively on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.
The sixth edition of England’s innovative 100-ball cricket tournament gets underway on July 21 with a double-header at The Oval. The opening fixtures feature the Women’s clash between MI London and SunRisers Leeds, followed by the corresponding Men’s fixture. The tournament will culminate with the finals at Lord’s on August 16.
The acquisition further strengthens JioStar’s sports content portfolio, expanding its offering of premium international cricket properties for audiences across television and digital platforms.
Introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), The Hundred has emerged as one of the world’s most innovative cricket competitions, designed to attract new audiences through its fast-paced 100-ball format. The tournament features eight city-based franchises representing London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton, Cardiff and Bristol.
This season also marks a new chapter for several franchises following recent ownership changes, including the rebranding of Oval Invincibles as MI London, Northern Superchargers as SunRisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals as Manchester Super Giants.
The Men’s competition features several leading international cricketers, including Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Rashid Khan, Heinrich Klaasen, Phil Salt, Tim David, David Miller and Harry Brook. MI London enters the tournament as the three-time defending men’s champions under its new identity.
The Women’s competition is expected to generate strong interest among Indian audiences with a host of Indian internationals participating across franchises. Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh will represent Manchester Super Giants, Deepti Sharma will play for SunRisers Leeds, while Jemimah Rodrigues joins Southern Brave. Other Indian players featuring in the tournament include Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Asha Sobhana and Nandani Sharma.
Commenting on the acquisition, Prashant Khanna, Head of Rights & Innovation for Sports, JioStar, said, “The Hundred has established itself as one of the most innovative cricket competitions in the world, bringing together world-class talent in a format designed to entertain and attract new audiences. We are delighted to bring the tournament exclusively to fans in India across JioHotstar and Star Sports. With both the men’s and women’s competitions featuring some of the biggest international stars alongside leading Indian players, we look forward to further grow The Hundred’s following in one of the world’s most passionate cricket markets.”
With the addition of The Hundred 2026 to its sports portfolio, JioStar continues to strengthen its position in the live sports broadcasting market, offering Indian viewers access to major global cricket properties across both digital and television platforms. The exclusive rights also reinforce the company’s strategy of expanding premium sports content while catering to the growing demand for international cricket among Indian audiences.
