Reliance Industries Limited, Surrey announce their partnership in Oval Invincibles franchise in The Hundred

Mumbai/London [India/UK], December 3 (ANI): Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, and Surrey County Cricket Club, on Wednesday, announced their partnership in the Oval Invincibles franchise in The Hundred.

This follows the completion of a deal, which gives the organisations 49% and 51% stakes in the franchise, respectively, transferring ownership from England and Wales Cricket Board. As part of this new partnership, from 2026 both the men's and the women's teams will be known as MI London.

The Oval Invincibles are the most successful team in the history of The Hundred, winning five titles in five years - with the women's team winning back-to-back titles in the first two years and the men securing three in a row from 2023-25. The men's team has been the most dominant in global franchise cricket team over the last three years.

The Oval Invincibles' success has been built on homegrown Surrey stars like Sam and Tom Curran, Will Jacks and Alice Capsey, alongside some of the biggest names in world cricket, including Marizanne Kapp, Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa.

Mumbai Indians brings a wealth of experience in building world-class cricket teams, with a strong commitment to nurturing players and engaging fans globally, a release said. With this addition, the MI Family now comprises seven teams across five countries and four continents, reflecting MI's vision to grow the game globally, nurture emerging talent, and unite fans through the joy of cricket.

Over 17 years, the dedication of the MI family has resulted in 13 league titles across the globe, the release said, noting that they are the most successful franchise in global T20 leagues including five IPL titles, two Women's Premier League titles, two Major League Cricket titles, two Champions League T20 titles, and one each in the ILT20 (MI Emirates, 2024) and SA20 (MI Cape Town, 2025). Every team in the MI Family now has a winner's trophy.

Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita M Ambani said, "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."

Akash Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio Infocomm, said, "We are happy to welcome MI London into the #OneFamily, marking a new chapter in our journey of uniting cricket fans, nurturing talent, and growing the game across continents. The Invincibles' winning record and spirit of excellence perfectly embody the MI ethos of passion, resilience, and teamwork. Building on our shared passion for cricket, we look forward to collaborating with our partners at Surrey CCC and building on the legacy of The Hundred's most successful team."

Surrey Chair Oli Slipper said they are pleased to have reached an agreement with the Reliance team over "our partnership in the Hundred franchise team".

"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," Oli Slipper said

"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," he added.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is India's largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 10,71,174 crore (US$ 125.3 billion). Mumbai Indians (MI), owned by Reliance Industries Limited through its subsidiary Indiawin Sports Private Limited, is one of the most successful cricket brands in T20 history. (ANI)

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