Steve Smith, Meg Lanning, Rashid Khan join The Hundred for 2025

Steve Smith and Meg Lanning are set to join The Hundred tournament this summer, with Smith playing for Welsh Fire and Lanning for Oval Invincibles. This year's competition allowed teams to directly sign one men's and one women's player ahead of completing their rosters at the upcoming draft events. Smith expressed his excitement about participating, having initially planned to join the league at its inception. Alongside them, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and New Zealand's Trent Boult are also joining the teams, further enhancing the international talent pool. England Test captain Ben Stokes has opted out to manage his fitness ahead of a busy summer, including the Ashes series. The Hundred will run from August 5-31, showcasing a mix of domestic and international players.