Indian Premier League franchise Lucknow Super Giants have acquired a 70% stake in the Hundred team Manchester Originals, completing an £80 million (approximately ₹929 crore) deal with Lancashire County Cricket Club.
The transaction was formalised earlier this week, but the contracts were signed on Friday morning during the first session of the England-India fourth Test at Old Trafford. As per a report from The Observer, the timing was intentionally aligned with the Hindu festival of Hariyali Amavasya, which marks the beginning of a two-day celebration dedicated to Lord Shiva. Considered an auspicious occasion, the day was specifically chosen by Lucknow’s parent company, RPSG Group, to commence their ownership.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! This move makes Manchester Originals the latest franchise in The Hundred to attract major external investment, as English cricket stands to earn an estimated £520 million (approximately ₹6,040 crore INR) from the sale of its eight teams. RPSG’s new acquisition will soon be renamed Manchester Super Giants, bringing the franchise into alignment with their existing teams - the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and Durban Super Giants in South Africa's SA20.
Shashwat Goenka, vice-chairman of RPSG, had outlined the group’s ambitions when they secured the franchise in February. “We are not football, we are cricket,” Goenka said. “We want the Manchester franchise in the Hundred to become the third biggest sports team in Manchester and challenge those two sports teams in Manchester,” said Goenka, as quoted by The Observer.
Other sales across The Hundred are progressing swiftly. Knighthead Capital, owners of Birmingham City, have taken a 49% stake in Birmingham Phoenix for £40 million (around ₹464 crore). GMR Group, co-owners of the Delhi Capitals, have completed a 100% buyout of Southern Brave for approximately £98 million (about ₹1,138 crore).
Deals for London Spirit, Welsh Fire, and Northern Superchargers are expected to be finalised shortly. However, negotiations involving the Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets have hit delays. Talks with the Ambani family and a consortium linked to Chelsea FC owner Todd Boehly are reportedly more complex and unlikely to conclude before The Hundred begins on August 5.
The England and Wales Cricket Board had hoped to unveil all eight franchise deals ahead of the new season.
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