The Hundred 2023: Retained players, draft picks, schedule and more
What's the story
A total of 64 players were snapped across the men's and women's categories in the 2023 Hundred drafts, on Thursday (March 23). Welsh Fire bagged the services of Pakistan pace duo of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Meanwhile, Afridi and Rauf's Pakistan teammates Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were ignored. Even Trent Boult and Kieron Pollard didn't find any takers. Here are further details.
Picks
Who were the first picks?
The order for selection was based on last year's finishing positions. Tom Abell and Sophia Dunkley were the first picks in the men's and women's categories, respectively - both picked by Welsh Fire. Tim David returned to Southern Brave via their Right-To-Match (RTM) card. Besides Afridi and Rauf, Welsh Fire also secured the all-round skills of David Willey.
Investment
Heavy investment in local talents
Teams majorly invested in local players in the draft seemingly due to the availability concern of overseas players. Owing to the same, some of the big names in the T20 arena including Boult, Pollard, Rizwan, and Azam weren't picked. Notably, all eight teams will be able to sign two more players as 'wildcards' after the league stages of the Vitality Blast.
Information
Welsh Fire
Retained: Jonny Bairstow (central contract), Joe Clarke, Ollie Pope, David Payne, Jake Ball, George Scrimshaw Draft picks: Tom Abell, David Willey, Shaheen Afridi, Glenn Phillips, Haris Rauf, Roelof van der Merwe, Stevie Eskinazi, Dan Douthwaite
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Southern Brave
Retained: Jofra Archer (central contract), James Vince, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Rehan Ahmed, Craig Overton, Finn Allen, George Garton, James Fuller, Alex Davies, Joe Weatherley Draft picks: Leus du Plooy, Tim David, Devon Conway
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Northern Superchargers
Retained: Ben Stokes (central contract), Adil Rashid, Harry Brook, Adam Lyth, Adam Hose, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, David Wiese, Wayne Parnell, Callum Parkinson Draft picks: Reece Topley, Tom Banton, Michael Bracewell, Bas de Leede
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Oval Invincibles
Retained: Sam Curran (central contract), Sunil Narine, Will Jacks, Jason Roy, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Jordan Cox, Gus Atkinson, Danny Briggs, Nathan Sowter Draft picks: Heinrich Klaasen, Ross Whiteley, Ihsanullah
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Birmingham Phoenix
Retained: Chris Woakes (central contract), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Shadab Khan, Adam Milne, Benny Howell, Will Smeed, Kane Richardson, Tom Helm, Chris Benjamin, Dan Mousley Draft picks: Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Miles Hammond
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London Spirit
Retained: Mark Wood (central contract), Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Ellis, Liam Dawson, Dan Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Jordan Thompson, Mason Crane, Adam Rossington, Chris Wood, Ravi Bopara Draft picks: Mitchell Marsh, Olly Stone, Michael Pepper
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Manchester Originals
Retained: Jos Buttler (central contract), Wanindu Hasaranga, Phil Salt, Jamie Overton, Tom Hartley, Richard Gleeson, Paul Walter, Josh Little, Wayne Madsen, Tom Lammonby, Mitchell Stanley Draft picks: Laurie Evans, Ashton Turner, Josh Tongue
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Trent Rockets
Retained: Joe Root (central contract), Rashid Khan, Dawid Malan, Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Colin Munro, Sam Cook, Daniel Sams, Samit Patel, Matt Carter Draft picks: Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Hain, Brad Wheal
Winners
Here's the schedule
Meanwhile, the 2023 edition of The Hundred will get underway on August 1. Like the previous seasons, all teams will meet six sides once in the league stage and one side twice. The tournament will conclude on August 27. Trent Rockets are the defending champions in the men's category, Southern Brave clinched the inaugural season
Women's
Key picks in the women's category
Meanwhile, Sophia Dunkley (Welsh Fire), Grace Harris (London Spirits), Laura Wolvaardt (Manchester Originals), Kate Cross (Northern Superchargers), Suzie Bates (Oval Invincibles), and Harmanpreet Kaur (Trent Rockets) were each side's maiden pick in the women's draft. Oval Invincibles clinched the first two editions of Women's Hundred, defeating Southern Brave both times in the final. The Hundred Women's 2023 will also take place between August 1-27.