Sanjiv Goenka's RPSG Group Acquires 49% Stake In Manchester Originals In The Hundred

Sanjiv Goenka, head of the RPSG Group and owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, has acquired a share in the Manchester Originals franchise in The Hundred. According to rumors, Sanjiv Goenka won a 49% share in Manchester Originals by outbidding numerous contenders, including another IPL franchise.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is selling 49% of The Hundred's teams, while the host counties retain 51%, which they can maintain or sell. England's board will continue to administer the competition, and they want to raise revenue by attracting investors to England cricket.

The Hundred features eight teams: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.

Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group Acquires 49% Stake in Manchester Originals

Reliance Industries has acquired a 49% share in Oval Invincibles. The firm also owns the Indian Premier League's Mumbai Indians, as well as teams in South Africa, the UAE, and the United States.

Lancashire, which owns shares in Manchester Originals, was looking for an IPL partner and reached an agreement on Monday. RPSG acquired a 49% share in the team for £53 million. Manchester Originals is valued at £107 million, which is half of London Spirit's £195 million after being sold to a US technology group.

According to Cricbuzz, Sanjiv Goenka participated in a three-hour auction for a share in London Spirit on Friday. However, he lost to a Silicon Valley tech firm that valued the squad at £295 million. Sanjiv Goenka, who already owns the SA20 team Durban Super Giants, has added Manchester Originals as his third franchise.

The RPSG Group (RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group), the Kolkata-based conglomerate purchases 49% stake in “Manchester Originals” in The Hundred.

The Hundred is a professional 100-ball cricket tournament, organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The Hundred features eight… pic.twitter.com/stUHRUVNMt

— Sanjay Kishore (@saintkishore) February 4, 2025

Lancashire puts out official statement about Manchester Originals’ acquisition by Sanjiv Goenka

Lancashire's statement confirmed their commitment to finding a strong partner. The statement also expressed a desire to create a unique cricket team for Manchester and the North West region.

"We have been very focused on securing a great partner - ideally from the IPL - and RPSG has been our preferred bidder for some time. We are delighted by the outcome and look forward to working together to create an exciting future. Together, we have a shared ambition to create a very special cricket team for the people of Manchester and the wider North West region,” Lancashire statement read.

RPSG Group Second IPL Owner to Acquire Stake in a Hundred Team

Sanjiv Goenka paid INR 7090 crore (£680 million) for the Lucknow IPL franchise in 2021. The next year, he bought the Durban franchise in SA20. Rising Pune Supergiant, owned by Goenka, played in the 2016 and 2017 seasons while the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended.

RPSG Group becomes the second IPL owner, following Reliance, to acquire a share in a Hundred team. Sun Group, the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, is interested in both Northern Superchargers and Trent Rockets. GMR Group, the co-owners of Delhi Capitals, are poised to acquire a share in Southern Brave.

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