The Hundred tournament is a new format of the game which occurs in England and Wales which was introduced by ECB in 2021 to increase the fast pace of the game. Its a format where each team faces 100 ball per innings with irrespective of the wickets. The tournament consists of eight teams and the matches were back to back conducted on the same grounds. The intresting thing about it is the tickets you bought is applicable for both men's and women's match. 

The eight teams which competes in the tournament are Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, Welsh Fire, London Superchargers. It has some unique confrontation of the game and the salaries offered are double which attracts more and more players which designates the other three formats of the game. 

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Format And Its Former Winners

During the Hundred format each teams plays eight matches at their group stages seperating four away and four home matches. The top 3 highest points considered teams moves to the knockout stage where the final commences at the Lord's Ground which is considered as the mecca of cricket. Last year in 2024 Oval invincibles claimed the title which was considered as mega blockbuster show and was considered as frontline entertainment stride. 

In this year 100 tournament many players have drafted their name. As the salary offered is double than the other leagues expect the IPL and the window gates wont too clash as the tournament commences in the month of August where players get ample time, but it's not easy to be get drafted into this legue which consist of heavy competitions where players are picked more carefully and the players who have the reputaion of hitting big hits and constrain along with the game are only picked. 

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Pakistan Players Were Not Preffered In Draft

Its been reported that total 45 Pakistani players registered for the tournament but none of them were selected which was the center talk of the highlights. Players like Naseem Shah, Shadab khan, Imad Wasim and Saheen Shah Afridi registered their names but intrestingly none of them were picked. It has created a wide spread debate why Pakistan players have been neglected from the drafts. 

Eventhough some of the overseas slots were still remaining empty. Yet the reason behind this decision is not yet been disclosed which leads to speculation about potential factors influencing team selections.Though New Zealand and Australian players gained huge contracts where former Australian captain steve smith was picked by Welsh Fire. Another point of neglegance would be performace of the players, because the drafts are picked according to the current forms too. 

Seventeen Indian players had registered for the The Hundred draft for the 2024 edition of the tournament but only two players found teams in the team building process on Wednesday as well. Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh were the two selected Indian players in the draft who got the teams.

Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh played for RCB together recently

While Smriti Mandhana returns to Southern Brave with whom she won the title last season, Richa Ghosh will join Birmingham Phoenix for the upcoming season as well. Both players, regulars in the Indian national team, recently played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore side which won the second edition of the Women’s Premier League as well.

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However, Smriti Mandhana is a swashbuckling left-handed batter who has made her name with stunning knocks. She has already led Royal Chalengers Bangalore brilliantly in the Women’s Premier League this season as well. Meanwhile Richa Ghosh has made headlines with her powerful strokes and become a dangerous finisher and a trusted hands behind the stumps as well.

Australian players found teams

Apart from her, hikha Pandey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur and Shreyanka Patil were among the Indians who missed out this season as well. On the other hand, Australian players are in the news now as they found teams withand the likes of Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Lauren Cheatle, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux being picked in the auction as well.