London Spirit name Heather Knight as general manager for The Hundred 2026

London [UK], December 1 (ANI): Heather Knight has decided not to participate in next year's The Hundred and is instead stepping into a new role as London Spirit's first-ever general manager for the women's team, as per ESPNcricinfo.

The move suggests that the former England captain may be preparing to minimise her playing commitments after the 2026 T20 World Cup at home. In her new position, she will provide technical support to the coaching staff and serve as an advisor to the on-field leadership group from the dugout during matches. She will also collaborate closely with Mo Bobat, London Spirit's Director of Cricket.

Knight expressed happiness about the new role and said she loved her time at the franchise.

"I'm delighted to take up this new role with London Spirit. I have absolutely loved my time at the franchise, as a player and also as a coach in last year's edition of The Hundred," Knight said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Besides the T20 World Cup, England will also host the first women's Test match at Lord's, facing India in July. Knight anticipates playing an important role in both events under her ECB contract, which remains in effect for another year.

"I am still very much committed to and passionate about playing for England and Somerset, but this is a huge development opportunity for me. It gives me the chance to learn from one of the best minds in the global game, in Mo, and broaden my experiences outside of my playing career. I am so excited for everything to come, on and off the field, in 2026," Knight added.

Knight led London Spirit through the first four seasons of The Hundred, guiding them to the 2024 title. Her new off-field position builds on her involvement during the 2025 season, when she served as a mentor and coach while recovering from a severe hamstring injury.

She was removed from the England captaincy in March following a nine-year tenure that concluded with a winless Ashes tour of Australia at the start of 2025. In May, she suffered a torn hamstring tendon while batting against West Indies, ruling her out for most of the home summer. Despite the setback, she returned strongly to become England's top run-scorer at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, amassing 228 runs at an average of 48.00 and a strike rate of 85.71 before England bowed out in the semi-finals. (ANI)

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