EXPLAINED: Why The Hundred league is classified as a T20 format?

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In 2021, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) stunned the world by unveiling “The Hundred,” a cricket competition unlike any seen before. The format, with just 100 balls per innings and new tactical rules, quickly became a talking point for fans and experts, challenging long-standing traditions of the sport.

The primary reason for this classification is administrative convenience and a shared core identity. While a T20 match has 120 balls per side, The Hundred’s 100-ball innings is simply a shorter variation of the same limited-overs format. Many of the fundamental rules and the overall nature of the game remain identical. Both formats feature fast-paced action, fielding restrictions in the initial overs (a powerplay), strategic timeouts, and a focus on high-octane hitting.

Major white-ball stalwarts like Jos Buttler participate across both competitions, contributing to cross-format credibility. As a result, governing bodies and statisticians merge records to ensure continuity in player achievements. The Hundred and T20 also compete for similar audiences, driven by a desire for fast-paced, thrilling entertainment, keeping them linked in purpose and impact. Much like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Big Bash League (BBL), SA20, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), T20 Blast, or even T20 International cricket, The Hundred is designed to capture the same global audience with its high-intensity action. This pragmatic decision ensures a sense of continuity and relevance for players and fans.

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In conclusion, while The Hundred is not a T20 in the truest sense, its inclusion in the T20 statistical category is a logical and practical choice. The decision reflects the format’s core identity as a shortened, limited-overs game. It allows players’ performances to be recognized within the broader and more established T20 framework, preventing a fragmentation of their career records. This approach benefits both players, whose achievements are counted in a more universally understood format, and fans, who can easily compare a player’s performance across different domestic leagues. The Hundred successfully carved out its own niche while still being connected to the larger world of short-form cricket.

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