GMR Group, owners of Delhi Capitals and Hampshire, got hold of The Hundred side Southern Brave on Wednesday. With this acquisition, the English Cricket Board (ECB) has ceased its equity sell-off of the cricket franchise based in Southampton.
GMR bid for a total valuation of £98m for the team, buying the 49% stake of the ECB for approximately £48m, thereby bringing them to full power. With this acquisition, DC became the second IPL franchise to fully acquire a 100-ball tournament franchise after SRH Northern Superchargers.
Southern Brave include Hampshire and Sussex among the historic counties, and GMR last year had bought Hampshire from Rod Bransgrove.
As the first team to claim the title in the very first edition of the Hundred in 2021, Southern Brave created history in the fledgling tournament with a 32-run victory against Birmingham Phoenix in the final. They also reached the final once again last year in 2024 but failed in the final to the Oval Invincibles.
Southern Brave’s women’s side has also made it to the names on the winner’s roll as they won the women’s category of the event in 2023 by defeating Northern Superchargers by 34 runs.
Although not a winner yet, Delhi Capitals has been a feature of the IPL since the very first season back in 2008. Fans and owners of the franchise from the capital city are hoping for a change of fortune in the upcoming season of the tournament in 2025 post a promising mega auction.
