Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has granted NOCs (No Objection Certificates) to four India women cricketers to take part in the inaugural edition of the Hundred. The inaugural season of the highly-anticipated tournament will feature eight teams and is scheduled to start on July 21. The league was set to start in 2020 but was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, the four Indian cricketers who have got the NOC are Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodriguez, Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur. Usually, BCCI does not permit Indian players to participate in foreign leagues to keep the exclusivity intact of the IPL and the Women’s T20 Challenge. As a result, this is being looked at as a positive step taken by the BCCI.
Some notable overseas players who will also be involved in the Hundred are Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Deandra Dottin and Marizanne Kapp. Meanwhile, veteran England wicket-keeper- batsman Sarah Taylor has come out of retirement and will play for Welsh Fire. The women's edition will kick start with a game between the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals.
U-23 Indian players allowed to play in The Hundred
Earlier, the BCCI had also allowed U-23 Indian players, who aren’t part of the IPL to participate in The Hundred tournament. This also came as a big surprise since BCCI prefers not to allow players to play in foreign leagues. But it came to light that the BCCI is looking to form a strong relationship with ECB so that the England players are sent for the IPL 2022, which could be a three-month long tournament as ten teams will be involved.
An innings in the Hundred will comprise of 100 balls with a change of end at every 10 deliveries. The women's edition comprises of eight teams.