JioStar secures India rights for The Hundred 2026 across TV and digital

MUMBAI: A hundred balls, one big play for cricket fans. JioStar has expanded its cricket portfolio by acquiring the linear and digital broadcasting rights for both the men’s and women’s editions of The Hundred 2026 in India, strengthening its sports offering with another marquee international tournament.

The rights have been acquired from the official rights holder, Sony Pictures Networks India, with all 68 matches to be broadcast live exclusively on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.

The sixth edition of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) competition begins on 21 July with a double-header at The Oval. The women’s match between MI London and SunRisers Leeds gets underway at 7:15 pm IST, followed by the men’s fixture between the same franchises at 11:00 pm IST.

Introduced by the ECB to attract new audiences through a faster, 100-ball format, The Hundred has grown into one of the UK’s flagship cricket competitions. The tournament features eight city-based franchises representing London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton, Cardiff and Bristol.

This season also marks a fresh chapter for the competition following ownership changes, with several franchises adopting new identities. Oval Invincibles have been rebranded as MI London, Northern Superchargers have become SunRisers Leeds, while Manchester Originals will now compete as Manchester Super Giants.

The men’s competition features a host of international stars, 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 champion, aiming to retain its title under its new global brand.

For Indian audiences, the women’s competition is expected to be a major attraction, with several leading national players spread across franchises. Smriti Mandhana headlines the Indian contingent after joining Manchester Super Giants, alongside Richa Ghosh. Deepti Sharma will represent SunRisers Leeds, while Jemimah Rodrigues lines up for Southern Brave. Other Indian players in action include Kiran Navgire (London Spirit), Shweta Sehrawat (MI London), Asha Sobhana (Trent Rockets) and Nandani Sharma (Welsh Fire).

The acquisition further strengthens JioStar’s cricket portfolio as competition intensifies for premium sports rights across television and streaming. With both men’s and women’s tournaments featuring leading international and Indian players, the broadcaster is betting that The Hundred’s fast-paced format will find an even larger audience in one of the world’s biggest cricket markets.