Sunrisers Leeds owner Kavya Maran has shared her thoughts on taking full ownership of the team in The Hundred. She said the team has built a strong relationship with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Yorkshire County Cricket Club, adding that they have received an exciting response from fans.
The Sun TV Network completed the purchase of the franchise, formerly known as the Northern Superchargers, in January 2026. Rebranded as Sunrisers Leeds, the franchise has made a steady start to the 2026 season of The Hundred, with both the men's and women's teams winning one of their first two matches.
We Were Clear With the ECB From the Start - Kavya Maran on Sole Ownership
Kavya Maran said that acquiring full ownership of the franchise was always the Sun Group's priority. She added that the transition has been smooth, with the support of the England and Wales Cricket Board and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
"Very much so. I think that was something that we were clear even with the ECB from the start and we have a very good relationship with the Yorkshire County," Kavya Maran said.
"So I think even though we have 100%, we've been working together with them and they've been a great partner to have on board."
The Sun Group became the only investor to acquire 100% ownership of a The Hundred franchise. Most other private investors bought minority stakes. Kavya Maran also represented the ownership group during the player draft ahead of the 2026 season.
I Don't Think Anything Can Stop Us Now - Kavya Maran on Sunrisers' Global Vision
Responding to former Australia captain Aaron Finch, Kavya Maran said that the Sunrisers Group remains keen to expand its global cricket presence. She also expressed her delight at the way fans in Leeds have embraced the franchise's iconic orange colors.
"Of course. I don't think anything can stop us now. It's a good beginning. I see a lot of orange and I think that's a great start for us," Kavya Maran said.
"Obviously, this is a new brand for them. They used to be in a different colour, so the great news is they seem to love the orange and that's exciting. I think that we'll only grow from here."
“We’ll only grow from here.” 🙌
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 26, 2026
Sunrisers Leeds owner Kavya Maran shares her thoughts on sole ownership, relationship with the ECB, and the franchise’s vision for the future. 🧡
Watch #TheHundred on Star Sports & JioHotstar, EVERY DAY from 7 PM. pic.twitter.com/c5ZHYALGmj
The Sun TV Network, led by Kalanithi Maran and Kavya Maran, owns three major cricket franchises: Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and Sunrisers Leeds in The Hundred.
Sunrisers Leeds Men and Women Make Steady Start to The Hundred 2026
The Sunrisers Leeds men's team has made a solid start to the season with one win and one defeat. After losing to MI London by seven wickets in the opening game, they bounced back with a five-run win over Southern Brave. Mitchell Marsh scored 69 off 34 balls and Dan Lawrence added an unbeaten 51.
The women's team also secured one win after two matches. They began their campaign with a convincing seven-wicket win over MI London before suffering a narrow five-wicket defeat to Southern Brave.
Both teams will now look to build momentum in the remaining league matches. The franchise is also focusing on strengthening its connection with supporters while establishing the Sunrisers brand in English cricket.
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