The stage is set for one of the biggest moments in English cricket history. Nearly 1,000 players from 18 countries have officially registered for The Hundred Auction 2026 — the UK's first-ever major sporting auction — which will take place at the iconic Piccadilly Lights in central London on 11 March (women's competition) and 12 March (men's competition).
From Joe Root and Quinton de Kock to Sophie Devine and Deepti Sharma, the registered player pool is stacked with global superstars, rising talents, and experienced domestic campaigners all vying for a spot in one of the eight franchise squads.
Here's everything you need to know about the auction, the key players registered, the notable absentees, and the controversy surrounding it.
How the Auction Works
This is the first time The Hundred has moved to an IPL-style auction format, replacing the draft system used in the first five seasons. The process works in three stages:
Pre-Auction Phase (November 2025 – January 2026): Each team was allowed up to four pre-auction signings — a maximum of three direct signings (overseas or England centrally contracted players) and at least one retention from their 2025 squad. A total of 60 players were locked in during this phase.
Auction (11–12 March 2026): Each team will submit a shortlist of roughly 75–100 players they're most interested in. Based on aggregated interest across all eight franchises, a longlist of approximately 200 players will be formed — these are the names that will go under the gavel. Auctioneer Richard Madley will conduct proceedings across both days.
Auction Tiers: Players are grouped into three bidding phases based on franchise interest:
Hero Players — Marquee names nominated by franchises, auctioned first
Ranked Players — High-interest players auctioned second
Nominated Players — Remaining players in the final phase
Vitality Wildcard: Players who miss out at auction can still earn contracts through strong domestic performances in the Vitality Blast, with wildcard selections made closer to the start of The Hundred.
Salary Caps and Budget Breakdown
The 2026 season has seen a major financial uplift, reflecting new private investment exceeding £550 million in the competition.
Competition | Salary Pot Per Team | Increase |
|---|---|---|
Men's | £2.05 million | +45% from 2025 |
Women's | £880,000 | +100% from 2025 |
Each team has already spent a portion of their pot on pre-auction signings. The deductions follow a tiered model:
Men's teams: £350k (1 signing), £650k (2), £850k (3), £950k (4) Women's teams: £130k (1), £240k (2), £310k (3), £360k (4)
Top-earning women's players are set to earn in the region of £130,000 this season — double the 2025 figure — while the base price for the lowest-paid women's player has risen 50% to £15,000.
Another key change: teams can now field four overseas players in the playing XI, up from three in previous seasons.
Key Registered Players — Men's Competition
The men's auction pool features a formidable lineup of international talent:
England: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, James Vince, David Willey, and several other experienced domestic players.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram
West Indies: Sunil Narine, Deandra Dottin (women's)
New Zealand: Trent Boult
Pakistan (63 men's players registered): Shaheen Shah Afridi (£100,000 base), Shadab Khan (£100,000), Haris Rauf (£100,000), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Usman Tariq, Muhammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed (£75,000), Mohammad Amir (£75,000), Faheem Ashraf (£50,000), Usama Mir (£50,000), Imad Wasim (£50,000), and many more.
Bangladesh (23 players registered): Mustafizur Rahman (£100,000 base), Rishad Hossain (£75,000)
Already Secured via Pre-Auction Signings (Men's): Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Rashid Khan, Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Heinrich Klaasen, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Chris Woakes, Jamie Smith, Marco Jansen, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, and others.
Key Registered Players — Women's Competition
The women's auction promises equally fierce bidding:
Top Reserve Price Bracket (£50,000): Nadine de Klerk (South Africa), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Beth Mooney (Australia), Richa Ghosh (India), Em Arlott, Amy Jones, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Linsey Smith (England)
Other Notable Registrations: Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Deepti Sharma (India — £27,500 bracket), Shafali Verma (India), Tammy Beaumont (England), Davina Perrin (England — £37,500, scored a century aged 18 in last year's eliminator), Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia (India — £15,000 bracket)
Pakistan Women (4 registered): Muneeba Ali, Sadia Iqbal, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana
India Women (17 registered): Led by Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma, with a strong contingent including Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia, Shikha Pandey, Kashvee Gautam, and others. No Indian men are on the list as the BCCI restricts male players from overseas franchise leagues.
Already Secured via Pre-Auction Signings (Women's): Ellyse Perry, Laura Wolvaardt, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Smriti Mandhana, Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Hayley Matthews, Melie Kerr, Ash Gardner, Marizanne Kapp, Kate Cross, Annabel Sutherland, Phoebe Litchfield, Alice Capsey, Lauren Filer, and others.
Notable Absentees
Ben Stokes — England's Test captain has not registered, opting to manage his workload outside of his Test commitments.
Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan — Pakistan's two biggest white-ball stars have not signed up, likely due to Pakistan's scheduled Test series against the West Indies in August.
Harmanpreet Kaur — India's women's captain is a notable absentee from the women's list.
Most Australian Men's Test Players — The majority of Australia's Test squad have not registered due to a clash with their home series against Bangladesh in August.
Indian Men — There are no Indian men on the list, as the BCCI continues to restrict male centrally contracted players from participating in overseas franchise leagues.
The Pakistan Controversy
The biggest talking point surrounding the auction has been the reported "shadow ban" on Pakistani players by IPL-linked franchise owners.
Six of the eight Hundred franchises now have Indian ownership connections: MI London (Reliance Industries/Mumbai Indians), Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group/Lucknow Super Giants), Southern Brave (GMR Group/Delhi Capitals), SunRisers Leeds (Sun TV/Sunrisers Hyderabad), Welsh Fire (Sanjay Govil), and London Spirit (US-based tech investors with Indian ties).
BBC Sport reported that Pakistani cricketers are not being considered by the Indian-owned sides, citing messages from a senior ECB official. No active Pakistan international has featured in the IPL since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and this dynamic appears to be extending into The Hundred's new ownership structure.
The ECB pushed back on the reports, stating that The Hundred welcomes players from all nations and expects the eight teams to reflect that diversity.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was outspoken, saying the ECB needs to act fast because excluding players based on nationality should not be permitted in a competition that prides itself on inclusivity.
Birmingham Phoenix, one of two franchises without IPL-linked ownership (alongside Trent Rockets), has signalled openness to signing players regardless of nationality. The franchise's performance director James Thomas noted that Birmingham is a diverse city and the team wants to reflect that.
Despite the uncertainty, 67 Pakistani players (63 men, 4 women) have registered, and non-IPL-linked franchises like Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets could see the situation as a strategic opportunity to sign top-tier talent at competitive prices.
Pre-Auction Signings: All Eight Teams
Birmingham Phoenix
Men: Marco Jansen (direct signing), Rachin Ravindra (direct signing), Phil Salt (direct signing), Chris Woakes (retained) Women: Charlie Dean (retained), Mahika Gaur (direct signing), Grace Harris (retained), Marizanne Kapp (direct signing)
London Spirit
Men: Rehan Ahmed (direct signing), Jacob Bethell (retained), Donovan Ferreira (direct signing), Mitchell Owen (direct signing) Women: Alice Capsey (direct signing), Lauren Filer (direct signing), Lucy Hamilton (direct signing), Ellyse Perry (retained)
Manchester Super Giants
Men: Jos Buttler (retained), Noor Ahmad (retained), Heinrich Klaasen (retained), Liam Dawson (direct signing) Women: Smriti Mandhana (direct signing), Meg Lanning (direct signing), Sophie Ecclestone (retained)
MI London
Men: Sam Curran (retained), Will Jacks (retained), Rashid Khan (retained), Nicholas Pooran (direct signing) Women: Hayley Matthews (direct signing), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (direct signing), Melie Kerr (direct signing)
Southern Brave
Men: Jofra Archer (retained), Jamie Smith (direct signing), Marcus Stoinis (direct signing), Tristan Stubbs (direct signing) Women: Jemimah Rodrigues (direct signing), Laura Wolvaardt (retained), Lauren Bell (retained), Maia Bouchier (retained)
SunRisers Leeds
Men: Harry Brook (retained), Brydon Carse (retained), Mitch Marsh (direct signing), Nathan Ellis (direct signing) Women: Kate Cross (retained), Annabel Sutherland (retained), Phoebe Litchfield (retained)
Trent Rockets
Men: Ben Duckett (direct signing), Tim David (direct signing), Tom Banton (retained), Mitchell Santner (direct signing) Women: Nat Sciver-Brunt (retained), Sophia Dunkley (direct signing), Ash Gardner (retained), Kim Garth (direct signing)
Welsh Fire
Men: Dewald Brevis (direct signing), Liam Livingstone (direct signing), Jamie Overton (retained), Adam Zampa (direct signing) Women: (Details to be confirmed)
Key Auction Storylines to Watch
Who will be the most expensive player? Joe Root, Quinton de Kock, and Sunil Narine are likely to be among the most sought-after names. In the women's auction, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, and Richa Ghosh could attract the biggest bids.
Will any Pakistani players get picked? With IPL-linked franchises reportedly avoiding Pakistani players, the spotlight will be on Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets. If Shaheen Afridi or Shadab Khan goes unsold, it would become a major PR crisis for the competition.
The Davina Perrin factor. At just 19, Perrin scored a century in last year's eliminator and has registered at £37,500. She could be one of the breakout auction stories.
How will teams use the increased overseas slots? With four overseas players now allowed in the XI (up from three), squads have more flexibility to load up on international talent. This could drive up prices for marquee overseas names.
Mustafizur Rahman's availability. The Bangladesh pacer, whose KKR contract was recently cancelled at the BCCI's request, has registered and could be a value pick for any franchise.
Auction Schedule
Day | Date | Competition | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Day 1 | Tuesday, 11 March 2026 | Women's Competition | TBC |
Day 2 | Wednesday, 12 March 2026 | Men's Competition | TBC |
Venue: Piccadilly Lights, central London Broadcast: Live on Sky Sports; live-streamed online Auctioneer: Richard Madley
What Players Are Saying
Beth Mooney said she's excited about the depth of talent already confirmed and hopes to be part of what she called a brilliant tournament again this summer.
Joe Root expressed enthusiasm about the new auction format, noting that seeing how teams build their squads on March 11 and 12 adds another exciting element to the competition.
The Hundred Auction 2026 represents a watershed moment for cricket in England and Wales. With nearly 1,000 registered players, a groundbreaking public auction at Piccadilly Lights, massively increased salary pots, and the geopolitical undercurrent of the Pakistan controversy, March 11–12 promises to be as dramatic as any matchday. The auction will set the stage for The Hundred 2026 season, which runs from 21 July to 16 August across seven venues.
The full list of registered players for both the men's competition and women's competition is available on The Hundred's official website.
Mark your calendars. The bidding war begins on 11 March 2026.
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