Oval Invincibles, winners of five Hundred trophies in as many seasons, will take the field as MI London from the 2026 campaign. Surrey County Cricket Club and Reliance Industries have now signed off the last of the eight equity agreements that followed the ECB’s partial sell-off of Hundred franchises earlier this year.
Reliance, owners of the Mumbai Indians network, purchased a 49 per cent share in the Oval outfit, valuing the franchise at £123 million. Only the Lord’s-based London Spirit attracted a higher price. The deal means both the men’s and women’s sides join a global family that already includes MI Cape Town (SA20), MI Emirates (ILT20), MI New York (Major League Cricket) and the Mumbai Indians women’s team in the WPL.
Surrey had taken their time before signing. Many at the Kia Oval were attached to the Invincibles brand, closely linked to the ground and to three men’s titles (2023-25) alongside back-to-back women’s triumphs in 2021 and 2022. Ultimately, Surrey’s board felt the international pull of the MI badge made commercial and cricketing sense.
“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Reliance team over our partnership in the Hundred franchise team,” Slipper said. “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. They are passionate cricket people and together we will continue the success of our two teams.
“We have worked very closely with Reliance over the name of the new team and believe that MI London will give us the best opportunity to build the fanbase at home and across the world. We also believe that the team brand will help to grow the commercial value of our franchise, in turn boosting investment into the long-term sustainable growth of Surrey and of cricket in our community.”
Reliance co-owner Nita M. Ambani welcomed the addition. “We are delighted to welcome MI London into the #OneFamily and take the MI legacy to new frontiers. London holds a special place in the heart of cricket, and we are honoured to be part of its rich heritage. Together with Surrey, we look forward to nurturing young talent, engaging diverse communities, and uniting fans through their shared love of the game.”
The Ambani portfolio now boasts 13 senior trophies since 2008, five of them in the IPL, and at least one in every other competition it has entered. That record — plus Reliance’s financial clout — underpinned the ECB’s keenness to bring the group into the Hundred.
For players and coaches little changes in the short term. Existing contracts run until the end of the 2025 season; colours and logos are expected to switch once the rebrand is formally activated. Supporters who have filled south London stands remain a priority, Surrey insist, with ticket allocations and grassroots projects staying in county hands.
Analytically, the move should expand the Hundred’s reach in South Asia and North America, where other MI teams already operate. Commercially, a six-team MI network provides economies of scale in sponsorship, data analysis and player development that most rival franchises cannot yet match.
Yet the new owners inherit expectation. The men’s side have not lost a knockout match since 2022, while the women have only missed finals day once. Maintaining that momentum under a new badge will test the oft-quoted MI “winning culture” in a different hemisphere.
More immediately, attention turns to draft night in March. How aggressively MI London dip into a player market that now includes international superstars on two-year deals will offer the first real clue to Reliance’s on-field intentions in the UK.
