Franchise Cricket

Elizabeth Botcherby
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Manchester Originals

Amelia Kerr is no stranger to winning silverware.

Over the past 12 months alone, the all-rounder has produced a player of the match-winning performance in a T20 World Cup final to steer New Zealand to their maiden title, captained Wellington to victory in the Super Smash, and won the WPL with Mumbai Indians for a second time.

Her individual honours are equally extensive: player of the tournament at the T20 World Cup, the leading wicket-taker in the 2025 WPL, and the ICC's women's cricketer of the year for 2024.

Despite all of her accolades, the 24-year-old is confident there is room for another medal in her collection as she eyes glory with Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

"There's always space [for medals]. It doesn't take up much room," Kerr told BBC Sport. "The Hundred is something I want to win and haven't won before. I'd love to go home as a champion."

Manchester Originals hold an unfortunate title in the women's Hundred as the only team yet to progress beyond the group stage, achieving their highest finish of fifth in 2021.

However, Kerr, one of three overseas players in the Originals' ranks alongside Australia's Beth Mooney and West Indies' Deandra Dottin, believes a combination of "world-class players" and the attitude of new head coach Michael Klinger will bring success to Manchester.

"We've got such a good side. Sometimes that doesn't mean anything, it's about how you perform. But hopefully I can bring the belief that we can reach the final and be one of the best teams," she said.

"I'm so impressed with Michael Klinger. How he makes players feel in a short space of time, they are going to play without fear and express themselves and that's how you get the best out of people.

"Beth Mooney is one of the best T20 batters in the world and Sophie Ecclestone is often the best bowler. When you put that together, that's pretty exciting. It takes more than two players but we've got some world-class players and a strong domestic group."

Image source, Getty Images

Phil Salt and Beth Mooney will captain Manchester Originals in the 2025 edition of The Hundred.

England wicketkeeper Salt inherits the permanent role from Jos Buttler after previously serving as interim captain during 2023 and 2024.

Salt has represented the Originals since 2021, scoring 935 runs in 35 matches.

Australia international Mooney replaces England spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who captained the side for the past two seasons.

Mooney, who has previously captained Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League, scored 191 runs in eight matches for Manchester Originals last year.

Manchester Originals are two-time finalists in the men's edition of The Hundred but finished seventh in 2024.

The women's side are yet to progress beyond the group stage, achieving a highest placing of fifth in 2021.

Image source, Getty Images

Cricket Australia (CA) will consider private investment in the eight Big Bash franchises after a recommendation from a consulting firm.

CA commissioned Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to recommend ways the Big Bash could "evolve and capitalise on the past 15 years of innovation and investment across Australian cricket".

The report suggested that CA could seek alternative forms of investment and ownership – including allowing private ownership for the first time.

CA say no timeline has seen set and they will work with state and territory bodies and Big Bash clubs as well as the players' union and its broadcast and commercial partners as it assesses the recommendations, promising a "thorough exploratory process".

Other recommendations included schedule changes, with the tournament possibly starting on 26 December to avoid more of the Australia Test summer and increase player availability.

Increased salary caps to draw more top-tier international players was described as a "key recommendation".

CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said the BCG report was "strong validation" for the 15 years of innovation, fan engagement and success of the Big Bash.

"As well as creating amazing fan experiences, under its current operating model the League and its clubs are valuable assets with significant potential for growth.

"The success of the T20 format has been a huge boost for the game globally in attracting new audiences and increasing participation. We need to ensure that the Big Bash remains among the world's top sporting competitions."

Image source, Getty Images

Former India wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit has left his role as head coach of Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders.

Pandit, 63, took over the role in 2022 and led KKR to their first title in 10 years in 2024.

However KKR finished seventh in 2025, four points off the play-off places.

KKR thanked Pandit for his "invaluable contributions" and for "helping build a strong, resilient squad".

They added his "leadership and discipline have left a lasting impact on the team".

The dates for the 2026 tournament have not been announced but it is expected to start in late March.

Image source, Getty Images

England's Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and Jonny Bairstow are among the players retained by franchises in South Africa's SA20 competition, prior to the league's draft.

Sides are allowed to hold on to a maximum of six players, three domestic and three international, plus an extra "wildcard" signing, with the remainder of their squads from last season released into the draft on 9 September.

The English trio have been retained by Durban's Super Giants, Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape respectively.

Fellow internationals James Vince and Richard Gleeson have also been kept on by Joburg Super Kings.

Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan and Andre Russell, all veterans of the franchise circuit, are among the overseas players signed up by franchises, while home stars Heinrich Klaasen, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have also been retained.

However fellow South African internationals Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Wiaan Mulder, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj, along with recent caps Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka, have all been released.

Champions MI Cape Town are the only franchise to use all six of their player slots, with each retention reducing the amount of money a side has to spend at the draft.

The SA20's fourth season will start on Boxing Day and run through to a final on 25 January.

Retained players

Durban's Super Giants (£1.24m)

*Sunil Narine, *Noor Ahmad, *Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen (Wildcard)

Joburg Super Kings (£910,000)

Faf Du Plessis, *James Vince, *Akeal Hosein, *Richard Gleeson, Donovan Ferreira (Wildcard)

MI Cape Town (£480,000)

Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, *Rashid Khan, *Trent Boult, *Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada (Wildcard)

Paarl Royals (£610,000)

Lhuan-dre Pretorius, David Miller, Bjorn Fortuin, *Mujeeb Ur Rahman, *Sikandar Raza, Rubin Hermann (Wildcard)

Pretoria Capitals (£1.37m)

*Will Jacks, *Sherfane Rutherford, *Andre Russell (Wildcard)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape (£910,000)

Tristan Stubbs, *Allah Ghazanfar, *Adam Milne, *Jonny Bairstow, Marco Jansen (Wildcard)

* = overseas player

Brackets show the remaining money in a side's salary cap to sign players in the draft.

Released English players

Durban's Super Giants: Chris Woakes

Joburg Super Kings: Moeen Ali

MI Cape Town: Ben Stokes (withdrew pre-tournament), Matthew Potts

Paarl Royals: Sam Hain, Joe Root

Pretoria Capitals: Liam Livingstone, Will Smeed

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Tom Abell, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Craig Overton

Image source, Getty Images

Guyana Amazon Warriors won the second edition of the T20 Global Super League with a 32-run victory over Rangpur Riders in the tournament's final played in Providence, Guyana.

A 121-stand for the second wicket between Johnson Charles and Rahmanullah Gurbaz provided the backbone of the Warriors' total of 196-4.

Charles made 67 off 48 balls while Gurbaz hammered four sixes in his 38-ball 66 for the Caribbean Premier League outfit.

Khaled Ahmed, Tabraiz Shamsi and Iftikhar Ahmed all claimed a wicket apiece for Riders of the Bangladesh Premier League.

Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali (1-13) removed Kyle Mayers to leave the Riders in deep trouble at 29-3 in the sixth over of their response.

Iftikhar's 46 off 29 balls helped steady the ship for the Riders as he and Saif Hassan, who whacked 41 off 29 balls, kept them in the hunt.

However, when both players departed the run rate climbed as Dwaine Pretorius (3-37) and Imran Tahir (2-39) helped the Warriors dismiss the Riders for 164.

Tahir was named player of the series after taking 14 wickets in the tournament, organised by Cricket West Indies and featuring franchise teams from Caribbean, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.

Image source, Major League Cricket

MI New York claimed their second Major League Cricket title as they defeated Washington Freedom by five runs in Dallas.

Seamer Rushil Ugarkar conceded just six runs from the final over and dismissed Australia international Glenn Maxwell as 2024 champions Washington closed on 175-5.

Washington topped the table in the group stage, while New York finished fourth and won consecutive play-off games to reach the final.

Quinton de Kock starred in New York's innings, hitting 77 from 46 balls and putting on a 72-run opening partnership with Monank Patel that looked set to fire their side to score over 200.

His dismissal, along with those of Nicholas Pooran (21) and Kieron Pollard (0), meant New York lost three wickets for one run over the space of six balls, stalling their innings in its last quarter, and they finished on 180-7.

Washington lost Mitchell Owen, who would be named the tournament's most valuable player at the end of the match, and Andries Gous for ducks in Trent Boult's opening over.

Owen's opening partner Rachin Ravindra pressed on, scoring 70 from 41 and adding 82 with Jack Edwards (33).

Uncapped American Ugarkar ended Ravindra's charge in the 16th over, but the experienced duo of Maxwell (16) and Glenn Phillips (48) took over, and Washington needed 12 from the final over of the match.

The pair took singles from the first two balls of the over, but dot balls either side of Maxwell being caught in the deep ensured that Obus Pienaar's final-ball four would not be enough to deny New York a second title.