England’s Heather Knight will skip The Hundred as a player in 2026 and instead take up the role of general manager of the London Spirit women’s team.
Knight will work closely with Spirit’s Director of Cricket Mo Bobat, and her role will include providing technical support to the coaching staff.
The former England captain skippered the Spirit to The Hundred title in 2024 but missed the 2025 edition through injury, during which she had a mentoring and coaching role with the Lord’s-based side.
Knight will go on to play for England – the next major tournament is next summer’s domestic T20 World Cup – as well as for Somerset in county cricket.
Knight will be general manager of the Spirit’s women’s team in 2026
Knight eager to ‘broaden his experiences’
The 34-year-old, who is linked with Spirit until 2021, said: “I’m still very committed and passionate about playing for England and Somerset, but this is a huge opportunity to develop.
“It gives me the opportunity to learn from one of the best minds in the global game, in Mo, and broaden my experiences beyond my playing career.”
“I’m so excited for everything to come, on and off the field, in 2026.”
Knight remains committed to playing for England and Somerset
Bobat added: “Heather’s deep understanding of the women’s game and what it takes to play at the highest level makes her the ideal person to be our first female general manager.
“She knows what it takes to win The Hundred and the franchise will benefit from having one of the leading players of the moment playing such a key role.”
“It’s also great to be able to support Heather in her long-term ambitions and future career transition.”
“I know how passionate she is about playing for England and her unwavering commitment to representing her country.”
The Hundred announces first player auction and salary increase
The Hundred will host their first player auction in March 2026, marking a major change in selection and salary structure ahead of the competition’s sixth season.
Developed by The Hundred Playing Working Group and approved by The Hundred board, the changes aim to increase competitiveness and attract top talent in both the men’s and women’s games.
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Nasser Hussain and Mel Jones look at the changes coming to the 2026 Hundred, including the new player auction.
Teams will now include 16 to 18 players, with up to four overseas signings, while wages and collars (minimum spending) will be capped.
While the minimum salaries remain, the fixed salary range has been removed, allowing teams to bid freely. Multi-year contracts will also be introduced.
The men’s wage will increase by 45 per cent to £2.05m per team, although a significant gap remains compared to the women’s, despite doubling to £880,000.
The top players to feature in 2026 could earn around £130,000 – double the amount on offer in the 2025 edition.