England all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of The Hundred 2026 due to a right knee injury sustained during the ODI series against India. Birmingham Phoenix, who had retained Bethell and appointed him captain, announced Donovan Ferreira will take over the captaincy for the upcoming season.
Pakistan women's cricket captain Fatima Sana has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PCB to play for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. She will miss the T20I series against Sri Lanka but remain available for ODIs, marking a career milestone as the first Pakistani woman to earn a contract in the tournament.
Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, 30, joins the Bears for the T20 Blast and Birmingham Phoenix for the Hundred. Tariq, who has a unique bowling action due to a split elbow joint, welcomes scrutiny and has passed two official tests. He aims to prove himself in England after a successful rise from working in a car-parts company.
England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has acquired a 1.2% minority stake in Birmingham Phoenix, The Hundred cricket franchise based at Edgbaston. The deal, worth over £800,000, sees the 22-year-old take 0.6% from Warwickshire County Cricket Club and 0.6% from American investment partners Knighthead Capital. Bellingham, who grew up in Stourbridge and started his career at Birmingham City, said he wanted to give back to the city that supported his rise in football.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has purchased a 1.2% stake in Birmingham Phoenix, the city's Hundred cricket franchise, for close to £1m. The 22-year-old, who grew up in Stourbridge near Birmingham and came through Birmingham City's youth academy, said he feels he "owes the city something" and wanted to support youth sports opportunities. Bellingham took 0.6% from each of the two main shareholders - Warwickshire County Cricket Club (retaining 50.4%) and American investment group Knighthead Capital Management (owning 49%).
England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is set to acquire a stake in The Hundred's Birmingham Phoenix franchise. The 22-year-old midfielder's investment, reportedly around 1.2% worth approximately £1 million, signifies a unique crossover between football and cricket. Bellingham, a childhood cricket enthusiast from the Midlands, is expected to formally announce the move this week.
England footballer Jude Bellingham has acquired a 1% stake in Birmingham Phoenix, the cricket franchise in The Hundred, for approximately £800,000. The deal, set to be confirmed on Wednesday, sees Bellingham invest in his hometown team while American investment group Knighthead Capital Management, owners of his former club Birmingham City, hold a 49% stake. Bellingham is a cricket fan who played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club in Worcestershire.
