The landscape of English cricket shifted dramatically yesterday (March 12) as The Hundred concluded its first-ever IPL-style player auction at Piccadilly Lights in London. This ‘New Era’ of the competition saw a massive influx of private capital, a 45% surge in the men’s salary cap to £2.05 million per team, and several high-profile franchise rebrands. From record-breaking domestic bids to historic international signings, the auction proved that The Hundred has firmly transitioned from its original draft system into a global financial powerhouse.
James Coles shatters records
The headline of the night was 21-year-old Sussex all-rounder James Coles, who became the most expensive player in the tournament’s history. London Spirit secured the young star for a staggering £390,000, outbidding heavy hitters like Sunrisers Leeds and Trent Rockets. Coles’ massive payday underscored the premium franchises are now placing on versatile domestic talent under the new private ownership model.
Abrar Ahmed roped in by Sunrisers
In one of the most discussed moves of the day, Sunrisers Leeds—owned by the Sun Group (owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad)—signed Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000. This move made significant waves as it marked a rare instance of an Indian-owned franchise recruiting a Pakistani cricketer, breaking a long-standing unofficial trend seen in other global leagues. Birmingham Phoenix also tapped into Pakistan’s talent pool, securing mystery spinner Usman Tariq for £140,000.
Aiden Markram becomes costliest overseas player
Thursday’s auction also delivered lucrative deals for several prominent names. Tom Curran secured a £260,000 contract with MI London, while veteran spinner Adil Rashid was picked up by Southern Brave for £250,000.
Joe Root became the first player to be sold in the bidding, joining Welsh Fire for £240,000. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Leeds turned to Dan Lawrence, signing him for £210,000 after missing out on Coles earlier in the process.
Among overseas players, Aiden Markram commanded the biggest offer, landing a £200,000 deal with Manchester Super Giants. The South African captain already represents two other franchises under the Super Giants banner — Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and Durban’s Super Giants in SA20 — further strengthening his association with the group.
Complete list of sold players at The Hundred Men’s 2026 auction
| Player | Team | Price |
|---|---|---|
| James Coles | London Spirit | £390K |
| Jordan Cox | Welsh Fire | £300K |
| Tom Curran | MI London | £260K |
| Adil Rashid | Southern Brave | £250K |
| Joe Root | Welsh Fire | £240K |
| Scott Currie | Birmingham Phoenix | £210K |
| Dan Lawrence | Sunrisers Leeds | £210K |
| Josh Tongue | Manchester Super Giants | £200K |
| Aiden Markram | Manchester Super Giants | £200K |
| Abrar Ahmed | Sunrisers Leeds | £190K |
| James Vince | MI London | £190K |
| Sam Billings | Trent Rockets | £180K |
| Zak Crawley | Sunrisers Leeds | £180K |
| Chris Jordan | Southern Brave | £160K |
| Finn Allen | Trent Rockets | £160K |
| Jonny Bairstow | London Spirit | £160K |
| Saqib Mahmood | Birmingham Phoenix | £150K |
| Ryan Rickelton | Sunrisers Leeds | £150K |
| Usman Tariq | Birmingham Phoenix | £140K |
| Tymal Mills | London Spirit | £130K |
| Nathan Sowter | MI London | £130K |
| David Payne | Trent Rockets | £130K |
| Luke Wood | Southern Brave | £130K |
| Craig Overton | Trent Rockets | £120K |
| Leus du Plooy | Manchester Super Giants | £120K |
| David Willey | London Spirit | £120K |
| David Miller | Southern Brave | £110K |
| Sherfane Rutherford | MI London | £100K |
| Tim Seifert | Manchester Super Giants | £100K |
| Trent Boult | MI London | £100K |
| Sonny Baker | Manchester Super Giants | £95K |
| Laurie Evans | Birmingham Phoenix | £85K |
| Joe Clarke | Birmingham Phoenix | £85K |
| Daniel Worrall | Southern Brave | £80K |
| Thomas Rew | Southern Brave | £80K |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | Welsh Fire | £80K |
| Matthew Short | Welsh Fire | £75K |
| Matt Henry | Trent Rockets | £75K |
| Lockie Ferguson | Welsh Fire | £75K |
| Matthew Potts | Sunrisers Leeds | £75K |
| Danny Briggs | Trent Rockets | £70K |
| Ethan Brookes | Birmingham Phoenix | £70K |
| Chris Wood | Birmingham Phoenix | £70K |
| Asa Tribe | Welsh Fire | £70K |
| Gus Atkinson | Manchester Super Giants | £70K |
| Richard Gleeson | MI London | £65K |
| Jordan Thompson | Birmingham Phoenix | £60K |
| Lewis Gregory | Trent Rockets | £55K |
| Will Smeed | Birmingham Phoenix | £55K |
| Olly Stone | MI London | £50K |
