It was a morning of electrifying drama, record-shattering bids, and a few history-making moments at Piccadilly Circus as the inaugural men’s and women’s auctions for The Hundred cricket tournament unfolded on March 12, 2026. In a packed and colorfully staged auction room, the spotlight fell squarely on 21-year-old Sussex all-rounder James Coles, who stunned the cricketing world by fetching a staggering £390,000 from London Spirit—making him the most expensive player in the history of The Hundred men’s competition.
Coles’ meteoric rise from earning £31,000 with Southern Brave last summer to this life-changing payday exemplifies the new era of financial muscle in English franchise cricket. The bidding for Coles began at a modest £75,000, but quickly escalated into a five-way tussle. Manchester Super Giants, Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets, and Sunrisers Leeds all threw their hats in the ring, but it was London Spirit who ultimately swooped in to secure the uncapped all-rounder’s signature after Sunrisers Leeds drove the price north of £220,000 and Rockets bowed out at £260,000.
“He’s exactly the type of player modern T20 franchises crave,” one cricket expert noted, referencing Coles’ ability to deliver with both bat and ball. His recent heroics, including helping Sunrisers Eastern Cape clinch the SA20 title and impressing selectors in England Lions’ series against Pakistan Shaheens, have made him one of the most coveted young talents in the game. Many now tip Coles to make his England debut this coming summer.
Coles’ contract now places him as the fourth-highest earner in The Hundred, trailing only pre-signed stars Harry Brook (£465,000 at Sunrisers Leeds), Phil Salt (£450,000 at Welsh Fire), and Jofra Archer (£400,000 at Southern Brave). This landmark deal not only underlines the tournament’s growing appeal for emerging English players but also signals a broader shift in the global T20 landscape, where homegrown talent is increasingly prized alongside international stars.
But Coles wasn’t the only one cashing in. The auction floor saw a flurry of fierce bidding wars and headline-grabbing deals. Jordan Cox was snapped up by Welsh Fire for £300,000, while England’s Test captain Joe Root joined the same franchise for £240,000. Tom Curran reunited with his brother Sam at MI London for £260,000, and veteran spinner Adil Rashid earned a tidy £250,000 from Southern Brave. Among overseas players, South Africa’s Aiden Markram topped the charts with a £200,000 contract at Manchester Super Giants, adding another franchise to his already impressive list.
The men’s salary cap for The Hundred has soared by 45% to £2.05 million per team for 2026, giving franchises unprecedented spending power. The result? Young players like Coles are now reaping rewards that would have seemed unthinkable just a year ago. “What a difference a year makes!” exclaimed one commentator, highlighting Coles’ journey from county cricket hopeful to one of the game’s hottest properties.
Yet, it wasn’t just the big-money English stars making headlines. The auction also marked a significant moment for Pakistani cricketers. Amid speculation and rumors of a ‘shadow ban’ by Indian-owned franchises, Sunrisers Leeds—owned by the Indian media conglomerate Sun TV—made history by signing mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed for £190,000. This was the first time an Indian-owned Hundred franchise had signed a Pakistani player, a move that helped ease concerns about nationality-based exclusions and demonstrated the tournament’s commitment to inclusivity. Chief executive Kavya Maran was present in person to raise the paddle, lending weight to the franchise’s intentions.
Pakistan’s Usman Tariq also secured his place in the tournament, joining Birmingham Phoenix for £140,000. However, not all Pakistani hopefuls were as fortunate. Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal went unsold in the women’s auction, Shaheen Shah Afridi withdrew from the men’s sale on the eve of the event, and Haris Rauf failed to attract a bid at his £100,000 reserve price. The England and Wales Cricket Board was compelled to issue formal denials about any exclusionary practices, releasing a joint statement from all eight franchises affirming that players would be selected based solely on performance, availability, and team needs.
Elsewhere on the auction floor, there were stories of disappointment and surprise. Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, who entered the draft with a base price of £75,000, went unsold despite being listed alongside more successful spin-bowling peers. Other notable names to miss out included Jafer Chohan, Akeal Hosein, Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, and Australian pacer Ben Dwarshuis. In the fast-bowling category, New Zealand’s Trent Boult was snapped up by MI London for £100,000 after attracting just a single bid.
The women’s auction, though historic in its headline figures, highlighted ongoing challenges. Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney each drew bids of £210,000, a figure that eclipses the entire women’s squad earnings from the tournament’s launch in 2021. Dani Gibson secured £190,000, while Davina Perrin was the first player bought for £50,000. The spectacle—complete with content creators, TikTok interviews, and a live stream—pointed to a brighter commercial future for the women’s game. Yet, the room’s composition told a different story. Of the roughly 60 people present, only about a dozen were women, with two team tables entirely male. Senior female coaches like Lisa Keightley, Anya Shrubsole, and Sarah Taylor voiced disappointment at the lack of female representation in coaching and decision-making roles, calling for greater inclusion and opportunity in the years to come.
Trent Rockets’ leadership, meanwhile, emphasized a focus on balancing experience with youth, aiming for high-scoring games and wicket-taking bowlers. The organizational focus remains on delivering entertainment, but the need to strengthen pathways for women in non-playing roles was a recurring theme throughout the day.
As the dust settled on a day of bold moves and new beginnings, the message from Piccadilly Circus was clear: The Hundred’s inaugural auction has set a new standard for cricket’s franchise era—both in financial terms and in its ongoing quest for diversity and inclusion. For James Coles and his fellow headline-makers, the tournament now offers not just riches, but a global stage to showcase their talents. And for the sport as a whole, the day was a reminder that progress, while real, is still a work in progress—on the field, in the boardroom, and beyond.