The Hundred’s most dominant franchise, the Oval Invincibles, will undergo a complete rebrand as MI London starting in 2026.
MI, which stands for Mumbai Indians, is a brand identifier for the global network of cricket teams owned by Reliance Industries Limited through its subsidiary Indiawin Sports.
Surrey and Reliance Industries Limited have finalised their lengthy negotiations following this year’s sale of equity stakes in the competition.
Reliance has acquired a 49 per cent stake in the team, with the franchise valued at £123million, making it the second-most-valuable team in the Hundred, trailing only London Spirit, which has a £295million valuation.
The deal represents the final agreement to emerge from the ECB’s equity sale process, coming nearly five months after six other transactions were completed.
Both the men’s and women’s squads will now align with the Ambani family’s expanding Mumbai Indians network of cricket teams.
The MI brand already encompasses the flagship IPL side, MI Cape Town competing in South Africa’s SA20 league, MI Emirates in the UAE’s ILT20, and MI New York in Major League Cricket.
The Mumbai Indians also operate a women’s team in the WPL.
The Hundred’s most dominant franchise, the Oval Invincibles, will undergo a complete rebrand as MI London starting in 2026
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With MI London’s addition, the Ambani family’s cricket empire now spans five continents, establishing one of the most extensive franchise networks in world cricket.
The rebranding brings the Kia Oval-based outfit into a stable that has accumulated significant silverware across multiple competitions.
Surrey’s hesitation in finalising the agreement stemmed from an attachment to a brand identity closely linked to their Kia Oval home ground.
The Invincibles had delivered remarkable results, claiming five trophies across five seasons of the competition.
The Oval cricket ground is a historic international sports venue located in Kennington, South London
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The women’s side secured consecutive championships in 2021 and 2022, whilst the men triumphed over Trent Rockets at Lord’s this summer to complete a hat-trick of victories.
Surrey chairman Oli Slipper recognised the compelling case for adopting the MI name, citing the brand’s 13 titles over 17 years.
This haul includes five IPL championships and at least one trophy in every tournament the franchise has entered.
Slipper said: “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Reliance team over our partnership in the Hundred franchise team.”
Nita Ambani, Mumbai Indians co-owner, expressed delight at welcoming MI London
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He added: “Reliance bring a significant depth of cricket and business expertise and have had great success with their franchise teams in India and around the world – there’s no doubt that they are here to win.”
The chairman added that MI London would offer the best opportunity to expand the fanbase domestically and internationally whilst boosting commercial value.
Nita Ambani, Mumbai Indians co-owner, expressed delight at welcoming MI London “into the #OneFamily”, describing London as holding “a special place in the heart of cricket”.
Akash Ambani noted that the Invincibles’ winning record “perfectly embodies the MI ethos of passion, resilience, and teamwork”.