By Zainab Shafiq 
In a landmark breakthrough in global cricket, Reliance Industries Limited, the owners of the famous Mumbai Indians, is all set to gain a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, two-time defending champions of The Hundred. The deal is worth around £60 million and points toward the increased dominance of RIL within the cricketing world and by itself marks a step toward the privatization of England’s elite cricket league.
A Strategic Alliance
The winning bid, valuing the Invincibles at £123 million, was confirmed after a hotly contested virtual auction. RIL outbid a high-profile Silicon Valley tech consortium—featuring the CEOs of Google, Microsoft, and Adobe—and private equity giant CVC Capital Partners. This acquisition will see RIL join forces with Surrey County Cricket Club, the wealthiest county club in England, creating a powerhouse partnership in the cricketing ecosystem.
Surrey has made it clear that they will retain a 51% controlling stake in the franchise, ensuring their continued influence over the team’s operations. Despite earlier speculation about a potential rebranding to ‘Surrey Invincibles’, RIL’s involvement could shape the team’s future identity and strategy.
RIL’s Expanding Cricket Empire
It adds the Oval Invincibles to RIL’s impressive portfolio of cricket franchises, which includes Mumbai Indians (IPL and WPL), MI New York (MLC), MI Cape Town (SA20), and MI Emirates (ILT20). The acquisition aligns with the vision of RIL for establishing a global footprint in cricket by building upon the brand strength and operational expertise of Mumbai Indians.
The Bigger Picture
This move of the stakes sale is a part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) approach towards securing the future of cricketing finances. All the 18 first-class counties, MCC, and grass roots cricket would benefit from these raised funds that will help maintain cricket in this country for another two decades at least.
Alongside, franchises including Birmingham Phoenix and London Spirit have also gone for auction. Major bidders from this process will include CVC, RPSG Group of Lucknow Super Giants, as well as co-owner Avram Glazer from Manchester United, among others.
RIL shall now enter exclusivity for wrapping up the contracts with Surrey and ECB along with financial advisors, though ECB itself has maintained reserve on the details of the proposed deal, there is huge expectations in the world of cricket ahead of an announcement next week on the same deal.
The engagement between RIL and Oval Invincibles certainly strengthens Indian ties with English Cricket and provides opportunities for newness and growth under the same scope.
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