Sundar Pichai joins Indian tech leaders in £80M bid for London cricket team

The consortium, led by Palo Alto Networks' Nikesh Arora, Satyan Gajwani of Times Internet, Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, aims to venture into sports investments

Alphabet Inc CEO Sundar Pichai is collaborating with a high-profile group of Silicon Valley executives in an effort to acquire a cricket team based in London, Bloomberg reports. The consortium is targeting one of two teams, the Oval Invincibles or the London Spirit, both of which participate in The Hundred, a cricket tournament in England and Wales

 

Who is a part of this cricket consortium?

The consortium, led by Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks Inc, and Satyan Gajwani, vice chairman of Times Internet Ltd, is placing a bid exceeding GBP 80 million for one of the two teams.

 

 

Other notable members of this group include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and Egon Durban, co-CEO of Silver Lake Management LLC. Although the details are not public, insiders have confirmed the involvement of these tech leaders, Bloomberg said.

 

Pichai’s interest in cricket is well-known, reflecting a broader trend among Indian-origin tech leaders supporting the sport internationally.

 

What is The Hundred cricket tournament?

The Hundred is a fast-paced, action-packed cricket tournament, as its website mentions. It follows a 100-ball format and is designed to captivate both dedicated cricket fans and newcomers alike.

 

The competition features eight city-based teams, each representing a major city in the UK. These teams, specifically created for The Hundred, compete every summer over five weeks, with both men’s and women’s tournaments taking place simultaneously.

 

Each team is made up of 15 players, including a maximum of four overseas stars. The men’s teams can also have up to two centrally contracted England players. The teams are formed through a Draft system for the men’s competition, while the women’s teams have their own unique player selection process.

 

In the 2024 edition of The Hundred, London Spirit won in the Women’s Competition, while Oval Invincibles secured their second consecutive win in the Men’s Competition. The Hundred tournament will enter its fifth season in 2025, with ticket sales to commence soon. The competition is broadcasted on Sky Sports and the BBC.

 

The participating eight teams are:

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

 

Bidding process for the teams

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) initiated a process in September to invite private investment into The Hundred’s eight teams. This move aims to bolster the sport's financial health domestically. Managed by Raine Group, the auction is attracting significant interest, particularly for the London-based teams. London Spirit, playing at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, is especially appealing to investors.

 

The ECB currently seeks to sell a 49 per cent stake in each team, with the option for full ownership. The Hundred’s annual revenue from various streams is approximately GBP 60 million, highlighting its commercial potential.

 

Growing popularity of cricket

Cricket, a sport with deep roots in England, is undergoing a transformation to appeal to a broader audience. The Hundred, launched in 2021, is designed to attract younger fans and families by simplifying the game with each side facing 100 balls. The tournament has been a success, drawing over two million attendees since its inception and generating significant revenue through broadcast deals, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

 

Once a popular sport within the Commonwealth, cricket has begun to gain international traction, especially in the US. According to USA Cricket, the sport’s governing body, over 400 leagues have been established in the United States, with more than 200,000 players and growing.

 

Global influence of cricket

The organisation also boasts that while baseball is often considered America’s national pastime with a rich history, cricket actually predates it. Historical records from as early as 1,709 document cricket being played in the region before the formation of the United States.

 

After Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli at 270 million has the highest number of social media followers among global athletes. Previously, both Nadella and Narayen have also invested in Major League Cricket in the US.