The second season of the eight-team, 100 balls-per-side tournament is going to face the involvement of the world’s leading players in Australia’s Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy, India’s Smriti Mandhana and South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. England fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is currently not playing due to an elbow injury, is set to make his comeback to senior cricket with the Southern Brave, the reigning men’s champions. Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis is to join Northern Superchargers.
All-rounder Perry and New Zealand women’s captain Sophie Devine will both stay at Birmingham Phoenix, with wicketkeeper and opener Healy at the Northern Superchargers and India stroke-player Mandhana to join the Southern Brave. Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has returned to the Trent Bridge Rockets.
Teams and the team members had the option of rejoining those originally selected, even if they had withdrawn in the previous year. Maxwell will remain with the London Spirit. The team has six vacancies to fill in a 16-strong squad.
England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan, who was the captain of the Spirit in the previous year, in an interaction with media stated that The first year of The Hundred was a huge success. We witnessed quality cricket in front of incredible crowds. We are delighted to have the first pick in the draft and hope to add strength and depth to our team. We can’t wait to see who’s available to snap up.
The reigning women’s champions, Oval Invincibles, have retained the captain and last year’s most valuable player, South Africa’s Dane van Niekerk, as well as the star Alice Capsey.
For the first time, both men’s and women’s sides will be able to select an additional fourth overseas player in a wildcard draft in June – although teams will still only be able to field three overseas players.
