The Hundred Mar 05, 2026

The Hundred: Steve Smith to play in 2025 but Ben Stokes opts out; Meg Lanning and Rashid Khan will also play

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
The Hundred: Steve Smith to play in 2025 but Ben Stokes opts out; Meg Lanning and Rashid Khan will also play

Steve Smith, Meg Lanning, Trent Boult and Rashid Khan are among the 12 high-profile players set to join squads in The Hundred after securing Deadline Day deals.

However, England Test captain Ben Stokes has opted out of the tournament in order to manage his fitness in a big year that includes a home series against India this summer and The Ashes in Australia from November to January.

Stokes tore his left hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers last year and subsequently missed four England Tests, while he then suffered a recurrence of the injury when bowling in New Zealand in December.

The 33-year-old underwent surgery and was ruled out for three months.

Australia international Smith has joined Welsh Fire, New Zealand bowler Boult teams up with Birmingham Phoenix and Afghanistan captain Khan bolsters back-to-back title-winning Oval Invincibles ahead of the fifth edition of The Hundred.

For the first time, teams have been permitted to sign one player directly ahead of completing their squads at The Hundred Draft on March 12, and the Wildcard Draft in May.

The move has seen an array of international talent from the men's and women's game book their places in the tournament alongside domestic and overseas retentions which includes England superstars Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Adil Rashid.

Marcus Stoinis (Trent Rockets Men), Megan Schutt (Birmingham Phoenix Women) and Lanning (Oval Invincibles Women) have secured deals to strengthen Australian representation in The Hundred, while Boult joins compatriots Kane Williamson (London Spirit Men) and Amelia Kerr (Manchester Originals Women).

South Africans David Miller (Northern Superchargers Men), Faf du Plessis (Southern Brave Men) and Heinrich Klaasen (Manchester Originals Men) join already-confirmed Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt (Southern Brave Women) in the tournament.

Australia batter Smith said: "I'm delighted to be joining Welsh Fire later this summer. I was due to be involved with The Hundred at the beginning of the competition so it's great to finally be able to make it to Wales.

"I've watched The Hundred from afar and I can't wait to be involved. It looks a lot of fun and obviously the cricket is world-class, with talent at every team. I'm looking forward to trying out a new format and hopefully playing my part for Mike Hussey and the rest of the boys."

England all-rounder Sciver-Brunt said: "The list of players joining the competition looks better than ever, across the men's and the women's competitions.

"We're delighted to have [Australian duo] Ash Gardner and Alana King back at Trent Bridge, as well as a number of our home-grown players.

"Hopefully this is the year we can go all the way, we've still got the chance to add more quality at The Hundred Draft. I know we're all looking forward to getting back out there in front of our fans."

The Hundred returns on August 5 at Lord's with a London derby men's and women's double-header between London Spirit and defending champions Oval Invincibles.

Birmingham Phoenix Women: Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones, Emily Arlott, Megan Schutt, Hannah Baker, Charis Pavely, Sterre Kalis, Ailsa Lister

Birmingham Phoenix Men: Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett, Trent Boult, Jacob Bethell, Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dan Mousley, Tim Southee, Will Smeed, Chris Wood, Aneurin Donald

London Spirit Women: Grace Harris, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Deepti Sharma, Georgia Redmayne, Eva Gray, Cordelia Griffith, Tara Norris, Sophie Munro

London Spirit Men: Liam Dawson, Daniel Worrall, Kane Williamson, Richard Gleeson, Olly Stone, Ollie Pope, Keaton Jennings

Manchester Originals Women: Amelia Kerr, Sophie Ecclestone, Beth Mooney, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Evelyn Jones, Kathryn Bryce, Fi Morris, Danielle Gregory

Manchester Originals Men: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Heinrich Klaasen, Matthew Hurst, Scott Currie, Josh Tongue, Tom Hartley, Sonny Baker, Tom Aspinwall

Northern Superchargers Women: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith, Hollie Armitage, Alice Davidson-Richards, Grace Ballinger, Davina Perrin

Northern Superchargers Men: Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, David Miller, Mitchell Santner, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Ben Dwarshuis, Graham Clark, Pat Brown, Tom Lawes

Oval Invincibles Women: Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning, Tash Farrant, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Sophia Smale, Jo Gardner, Rachel Slater

Oval Invincibles Men: Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Cox, Rashid Khan, Saqib Mahmood, Sam Billings, Gus Atkinson, Nathan Sowter, Donovan Ferreira, Tawanda Muyeye

Southern Brave Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Georgia Adams, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Rhianna Southby

Southern Brave Men: James Vince, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, Faf du Plessis, Leus Du Plooy, Craig Overton, Laurie Evans, Finn Allen, Danny Briggs, James Coles

Trent Rockets Women: Ash Gardner, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alana King, Heather Graham, Bryony Smith, Grace Scrivens, Kirstie Gordon, Alexa Stonehouse, Natasha Wraith, Cassidy McCarthy

Trent Rockets Men: Joe Root, Marcus Stoinis, Tom Banton, John Turner, Sam Cook, Sam Hain, Tom Alsop, Calvin Harrison

Welsh Fire Women: Hayley Matthews, Tammy Beaumont, Jessica Jonassen, Shabnim Ismail, Sarah Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis, Emily Windsor, Beth Langston

Welsh Fire Men: Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, Luke Wells, Stephen Eskinazi

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