IPL franchise KKR open to evaluate investing in ECB\'s \'The Hundred\': Report

IPL franchise KKR open to evaluate investing in ECB's 'The Hundred': Report

KKR CEO Venky Mysore did not entirely rule out the possibility of the IPL franchise "evaluating" investment opportunities in 'The Hundred'

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Kolkata Knight Riders | Indian Premier League | Cricket

BS Web Team & agencies  |  New Delhi, Kolkata and London 

Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens.However, Mysore was categorical that at this moment it's nothing more than speculation. Photo: @@NitishRana_27

The owners of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would be looking to invest in the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) new cricket tournament, The Hundred.
 
The Telegraph newspaper reported that the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR are open to investing in the 100-ball a side competition, which has now been postponed to next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Here’s what KKR CEO Mysore said
 
KKR CEO Venky Mysore did not entirely rule out the possibility of the IPL franchise "evaluating" investment opportunities in 'The Hundred'.
 
However, Mysore was categorical that at this moment it's nothing more than speculation.
 
"I know this story is going around. All I said was 'if we are approached to consider investing in 'The Hundred', we will evaluate it'," news agency PTI quoted Mysore, after the report in the English daily.
 
KKR’s investment in foreign T20 leagues
 
Caribbean Premier League
 
Owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, the two-time IPL champions had in 2015 acquired Caribbean Premier League side Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, who are now known as Trinbago Knight Riders, a winner of successive CPL titles in 2017 and 2018.
 
T20 league in South Africa
 
They also had acquired a third team, the Cape Town franchise in Cricket South Africa's Global T20 league which however did not see the light of the day and was cancelled in 2017.

 
"We are the biggest brand in IPL and perhaps the only global brand in cricket. So we can understand why leagues around the world would be interested in getting Knight Riders on board," Mysore said. 
What is The Hundred tournament?

The Hundred is franchise based 100-ball cricket tournament to be played in England and Wales and administered by the ECB. The league will consist of eight city-based franchise teams, each of which will field both a men's and women's team, rather than the established 18 first-class counties, .

It was slated for a July start but only to be pushed till 2021 with ECB grappling in financial crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus impact on English cricket
 
According to ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, they are slated to incur a loss of over GBP 300 million, if the upcoming season is wiped out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
The ECB, which can lose over 300 million pounds if the entire season is wiped out due to the pandemic, is re-evaluating its earlier stance of not allowing private investment in the tournament, the newspaper reported.

Format of The Hundred tournament

The 100-ball tournament has a very unique format which would excite the fans as they will see for first time five or 10 balls over.

Following the rules and regulations in The Hundred:

  • The match will have a total of 200 legal deliveries with 100 balls per innings.
  • One over will consist of 10 balls.
  • One bowler can bowl a minimum of five and maximum of 10 consecutive balls.
  • One bowler can bowl a maximum of 20 balls in a game.

Powerplay

  • Powerplay will be of 25 balls.
  • Only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle during powerplay.

Timeout

  • There is one strategic time-out of two-and-a-half minutes per innings for the bowling side.
  • The coach can walk out to the middle of the ground and discuss tactics with their players mid game.

Duration of 100-ball tournament

  • A match of The Hundred will last two and a half hours.
 
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First Published: Wed, May 06 2020. 11:20 IST