JioStar acquires India broadcast & digital rights for The Hundred
JioStar has announced that it has acquired the linear and digital rights to broadcast both the Men’s and Women’s competitions of The Hundred 2026 in India from the official rights holder, Sony Pictures Networks India, with live coverage available exclusively on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.
The sixth edition of the tournament gets underway today, July 21, with a double-header at The Oval where the Women’s fixture between MI London and SunRisers Leeds kicks off at 7:15 PM IST, followed by the Men’s encounter between the same franchises at 11:00 PM IST. The acquisition further extends JioStar’s commitment to making world-class cricket accessible to Indian fans across every screen.
Conceived by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to redefine cricket’s appeal for new and diverse audiences, The Hundred is the fastest and most innovative format of professional cricket played in the United Kingdom. The competition has grown steadily, attracting some of the heavyweights in international cricket to eight city-based franchises across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton, Cardiff, and Bristol. An ownership restructuring has ushered in a new era for several franchises this season onwards, with Oval Invincibles rebranding to MI London, Northern Superchargers to SunRisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals to Manchester Super Giants.
The Men’s competition brings together some of the biggest superstars in global cricket, such as Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Rashid Khan, Heinrich Klassen, Phil Salt, Tim David, David Miller, and Harry Brook, among others. MI London enters the tournament as three-time defending Men’s champions and will look to defend their title under a dynamic new global identity.
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The Women’s competition is set to be a particular draw for Indian audiences, given the strong contingent of Women in Blue stars competing across franchises. Smriti Mandhana, one of the tournament’s marquee acquisitions, joins Manchester Super Giants, with Richa Ghosh alongside her. Deepti Sharma will turn up for SunRisers Leeds, while Jemimah Rodrigues adds her flair to the Southern Brave squad. Several other Indian women cricketers will be seen in action, including Kiran Navgire (London Spirit), Shweta Sehrawat (MI London), Asha Sobhana (Trent Rockets), and Nandani Sharma (Welsh Fire).
Speaking about 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.”
All 68 matches of The Hundred 2026 — across both the Men’s and Women’s competitions — will be broadcast live in India exclusively on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.
