They defeated Trent Rockets in The Hundred 2025 final.
Oval Invincibles etched their name in history books on Sunday when they clinched their third successive trophy in The Hundred. The Sam Billings-led side beat Trent Rockets in the final at Lord’s to achieve this rare feat.
Over two decades of T20 history, only a handful of teams have managed to win three back to back to league titles. Victoria (Australia), Sialkot Stallions (Pakistan), Wayamba (Sri Lanka), Trinidad & Tobago (West Indies), Titans (South Africa), and Jaffna Kings (LPL) were the only teams to do it before Oval Invincibles.
It is even harder to achieve in the franchise circuit in the modern era. So how did they manage it and what impact could it have on The Hundred?
The London-based franchise has been a well-run club ever since The Hundred inception. The success we see from the outside hasn’t come easy. The head coach Tom Moody has built a formidable unit in these five years. The first two editions weren’t great for the team, finishing fifth and fourth, respectively. But their investments and approach eventually paid off.
Having stability in the squad has been one of the biggest reasons for their success. They have had a strong core throughout these years, including the likes of Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, and Jordan Cox.
2023. 2024. 2025.#TheHundredFinal pic.twitter.com/kpG1WjAAXH
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 31, 2025
No other team in The Hundred has retained as many players as Oval Invincibles have year after year. Franchises had an option to retain up to 10 players and have one direct signing ahead of the 2025 draft. The Invincibles were one of the only three teams to secure 11 players before the draft, bringing in Rashid Khan as a direct signing.
The other aspect that has been extremely vital for Oval Invincibles is the role clarity. Most of the players know their job and have full backing. They have had Will Jacks at the top of the order, who has been given a licence to go hard. Cox has been an anchor, and he amassed 367 runs in the recent season at 61 average and 173 strike rate.
Sam Curran has had more freedom in the middle order, knowing reliable finishers such as Billings and Donovan Ferreira are behind him. Just speaking of the 2025 season, all of their top seven had a strike rate in excess of 145. Three of those scored at over 170 in the tournament.
On the bowling front, they have had excellent new-ball pacers such as Jason Behrendorff and Saqib Mahmood. The Curran brothers have handled the middle and death overs as well as they could. Jacks’ off-spin has also played a role whenever the situation has suited. Rashid Khan this year and Adam Zampa previously have provided that quality wrist spin.
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Winning three titles in a row is an incredibly difficult achievement for any team. However, having one team dominate to that extent has its side effects on the league.
First and foremost, having one team winning everything naturally reduces the interest of the viewers. A league that’s just five years old and under constant criticism can not afford fans turning away. There have also been reports of other teams complaining about this dominance.
Fortunately for The Hundred, four owners from the Indian Premier League (IPL) have invested in four franchises in this league. Oval Invincibles were acquired by Mumbai Indians and are likely to undergo name change. The three-time champions could be MI London next year.
The involvement of IPL owners has also increased the possibility of an overhaul with an IPL-style auction. If that happens, the number of retentions allowed could reduce and other teams will have an opportunity to close the gap with the Invincibles.
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