The Hundred 2026: Manchester Super Giants Reinforce Their Lineup
The Manchester Super Giants, a newly rebranded team in The Hundred, have secured Jos Buttler and Sophie Ecclestone for the 2026 season. These players, along with Afghanistan's Noor Ahmad and South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen, are key to the team's strategy. Additionally, the Super Giants have signed former Australia captain Meg Lanning, India's World Cup champion Smriti Mandhana, and England's Liam Dawson.
Former Australia coach Justin Langer will lead the men's side, while former England white-ball coach Matthew Mott takes charge of the women's team. This marks a significant shift for the franchise, which has been purchased by the RPSG Group, already owners of the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League and Durban's Super Giants in South Africa's SA20.
Despite their previous name, Manchester struggled to win The Hundred title in their initial five seasons. However, the men's side reached the finals in 2022 and 2023. Jos Buttler, a former England white-ball captain, and Sophie Ecclestone have been loyal to the Manchester franchise throughout their Hundred careers.
Meg Lanning joins after two seasons with the Oval Invincibles and London Spirit, while Liam Dawson spent four years at the Spirit, starting his Hundred journey with the Southern Brave. Smriti Mandhana played for the Brave from 2021 to 2024, winning the tournament in 2023, but did not participate in the tournament last year.
Langer, who has been coaching the Lucknow Super Giants since 2023 and led the London Spirit last year, takes on a new challenge. Mott, with his successful spell as Australia women's coach from 2015 to 2022, now assumes his first head coach role since leaving his England role in 2024.
The team's badge has been updated, now featuring an elephant, and the franchise is poised to make a strong impact in the 2026 Hundred season.
