The Hundred to begin from July 21: Rules, Format, Squads, Schedule and Live Streaming

The Hundred is an action-packed new 100 ball cricket competition that is expected to put the viewers on the edge of their seats. The tournament with a unique format will be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and will take place for the first time in 2021, having been delayed by a year due to the COVID pandemic.

It will feature world-class players and massive names from around the world. Eight brand new city-based women's and men's teams will compete over five weeks every summer. A men’s squad and women’s squad has been formed for each team, with the competitions running alongside each other. The tournament will give equal weightage to both men's and women's sides, with almost all the matches taking place as back-to-back double-headers at the same venue on the same day. 

The format of the game is

• 100 balls per innings
• A change of ends after 10 balls
• Bowlers deliver either five or 10 consecutive balls
• Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per game
• Each bowling side gets a strategic time-out of up to two and a half minutes
• A 25-ball powerplay start for each team
• Two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle during the powerplay
• Teams will be able to call time-outs, as has been the case in the IPL
• A simplified scoreboard is also proposed

The Hundred's structure

In total there will be 32 matches in the league. Each team will play four matches at home and four matches away, This will include one match against every other side and then a second bonus match against their nearest regional rivals

Once the league table has been settled the top three teams will then compete in playoffs to decide the ultimate champion. The second and third teams will meet in a semi-final, which will be played at the Oval. The winner of the semi-final will meet the team that finished top of the league in the final at Lord's, where they will compete to be crowned champions.

The teams that have been created

Eight new teams have been created. 

Those teams will be:

• Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston)
• London Spirit (Lord's)
• Manchester Originals (Emirates Old Trafford)
• Northern Superchargers (Emerald Headingley)
• Oval Invincibles (Kia Oval)
• Southern Brave (Ageas Bowl)
• Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge
• Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens)

Each squad will be made up of 15 players with a maximum of three overseas stars.

How to live stream The Hundred in India?

Starting July 21, 2021, The Hundred will be live streaming in India on the FanCode app for a nominal subscription fee. FanCode has bagged an exclusive four-year broadcast rights deal with the ECB.

The fixture list for The Hundred

The opening day aside, women’s and men’s fixtures will be held on the same day. Both games have been mentioned below unless stated otherwise.

• July 21, Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (women’s), Kia Oval
• July 22, Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals (men’s), Kia Oval
• July 23, Birmingham Phoenix v London Spirit, Edgbaston
• July 24, Trent Rockets v Southern Brave, Trent Bridge; Northern Superchargers v Welsh Fire, Emerald Headingley
• July 25, London Spirit v Oval Invincibles, Lord’s; Manchester Originals v Birmingham Phoenix, Emirates Old Trafford
• July 26, Trent Rockets v Northern Superchargers, Trent Bridge
• July 27, Welsh Fire v Southern Brave, Sophia Gardens
• July 28, Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers, Emirates Old Trafford
• July 29, London Spirit v Trent Rockets, Lord’s
• July 30, Southern Brave v Birmingham Phoenix, Ageas Bowl
• July 31, Welsh Fire v Manchester Originals, Sophia Gardens; Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles, Emerald Headingley
• August 01, Birmingham Phoenix v Trent Rockets, Edgbaston; London Spirit v Southern Brave, Lord’s
• August 02, Oval Invincibles v Welsh Fire, Kia Oval
• August 03, London Spirit v Northern Superchargers, Lord’s
• August 04, Birmingham Phoenix v Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston
• August 05, Manchester Originals v Southern Brave, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 06, Welsh Fire v Trent Rockets, Sophia Gardens
• August 07, Southern Brave v Northern Superchargers, Ageas Bowl
• August 08, Oval Invincibles v Trent Rockets, Kia Oval
• August 09, Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire, Edgbaston
• August 10, Manchester Originals v London Spirit, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 11, Southern Brave v Welsh Fire, Ageas Bowl
• August 12, Northern Superchargers v Manchester Originals, Emerald Headingley
• August 13, Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Bridge
• August 14, Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, Kia Oval
• August 15, Trent Rockets v Manchester Originals, Trent Bridge
• August 16, Southern Brave v Oval Invincibles, Ageas Bowl
• August 17, Northern Superchargers v Birmingham Phoenix, Emerald Headingley
• August 18, Welsh Fire v London Spirit, Sophia Gardens
• August 20, Eliminator (both women’s and men’s), Kia Oval
• August 21, Finals (both women’s and men’s), Lord’s

(Image Credits: @thehundred - Twitter)