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Cricket PlayersKKR owners eye fresh The Hundred entry as expansion could open door for one of two new franchises
KKR owners remain interested in entering The Hundred, with expansion to 10 teams from 2029 potentially offering them a fresh route into English cricket.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ owners could be preparing another attempt to establish themselves in English cricket, with the Knight Riders Group interested in investing in The Hundred if the competition expands beyond its existing eight-team structure. The group had explored a route into the tournament during the ECB’s sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises, but eventually stepped away from the race for the Trent Rockets. That decision, however, has not ended its interest in the competition.
According to BBC Sport, Knight Riders Group would consider returning as a bidder if two additional franchises are introduced, potentially giving the organisation another team in its rapidly expanding global cricket portfolio. KRG was among the parties interested in Trent Rockets during the investment process last year. The group ultimately chose not to pursue the deal further, with senior officials understood to have felt that the franchise had become slightly overvalued. Cain International, the investment company founded by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly and British businessman Jonathan Goldstein, eventually secured a 49 per cent stake in Trent Rockets for just under £40 million. The Knight Riders Group instead remained outside The Hundred, even as several of its IPL rivals secured positions in English cricket.
KKR owners could get another route into English cricket
That landscape could change when the ECB begins considering the next phase of The Hundred. The competition currently consists of eight teams, but increasing that number to 10 has been discussed as a possible future move. Durham has been mentioned as one prospective home for an expansion franchise, while the south west of England could accommodate another, with Bristol and Taunton among the possible locations.
A significant change is unlikely before the conclusion of the existing media-rights cycle at the end of 2028. That leaves 2029 as a possible starting point for an expanded competition. Two additional franchises would not merely broaden The Hundred geographically. They would also create more fixtures and additional broadcast inventory, potentially allowing the ECB to seek a more lucrative television agreement when the next rights cycle begins.
For Knight Riders Group, expansion would provide a fresh entry point without requiring it to buy into one of the competition’s established eight teams. The Hundred already carries a significant IPL influence. SunRisers Leeds, Manchester Super Giants, MI London and Southern Brave are either owned or part-owned by groups with existing IPL interests.
Knight Riders Group joining that list would further strengthen those links. The organisation has built one of franchise cricket’s widest international networks. Kolkata Knight Riders remain its flagship operation in the IPL, while the group also controls Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the UAE’s ILT20 and Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket in the United States.
England therefore remains a notable gap in the Knight Riders map. There is no formal expansion decision or active KRG bid at this stage. But after deciding that Trent Rockets did not represent the right value, the KKR owners appear willing to wait for another opportunity — and two new Hundred franchises could provide exactly that.
