cricket
‘Nothing Can Stop Us Now’: Kavya Maran Opens Up on Sunrisers’ Global Expansion After The Hundred Triumph
Making her commentary debut on Sky Sports, the Sunrisers Leeds owner shared her vision for building a global cricket powerhouse following the Sun Group’s historic takeover in The Hundred.
Kavya Maran has outlined an ambitious vision for the future of the Sunrisers franchise after the Sun Group completed a landmark acquisition in The Hundred, expanding its cricket footprint across three continents.
During her commentary debut on Sky Sports, Maran reflected on the group’s decision to take full ownership of the Northern Superchargers, now rebranded as Sunrisers Leeds, and expressed confidence that the iconic orange franchise is only just getting started.
‘Nothing Can Stop Us Now,’ Says Kavya Maran
Speaking during the broadcast, Kavya Maran revealed that the Sun Group had always been clear about its intention to acquire complete ownership of the Leeds-based franchise. Unlike several other investors in The Hundred, who opted for minority or majority stakes, the Sun Group became the only private investor to secure a 100 percent stake in a franchise while working alongside Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Highlighting the importance of local partnerships, Maran praised Yorkshire’s support throughout the transition.”We have a very good relationship with the Yorkshire county. Even though we have 100 per cent, we have been working together with them and they have been a great partner to have on board,” she said during her Sky Sports debut.
Orange Takes Over Headingley
One of the biggest talking points following the takeover has been the transformation of the franchise’s identity. The team’s previous purple-and-black colours have been replaced by the signature Sunrisers orange, a move that has received a warm response from supporters at Headingley.
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Encouraged by the sea of orange in the stands, Maran expressed excitement about the future of the brand.”I don’t think anything can stop us now. It is a good beginning. I see a lot of orange and I think that is a great start for us. This is a new brand for them, but the great news is they seem to love the orange. We just grow from here,” she said.
Sunrisers Build a Global Cricket Empire
The Leeds acquisition marks another major milestone in the Sun Group’s growing cricket empire.
The group now owns four professional cricket franchises across India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, creating one of the most extensive multi-league networks in world cricket.
Its flagship franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), lifted the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2016 and has remained one of the league’s strongest teams, reaching the finals again in 2018 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Sunrisers Eastern Cape has dominated SA20, winning three championships in the tournament’s first four seasons to become the competition’s most successful franchise.
A Long-Term Vision Across Continents
With complete control of both the men’s and women’s teams in Leeds, the Sun Group now has a unique platform for talent development and cricket operations across multiple countries.
The expansion strengthens connections between players, coaching staff, and management across different leagues while enhancing the global identity of the Sunrisers brand.
As the orange wave continues to spread beyond the IPL, Kavya Maran’s latest remarks underline the group’s long-term ambition to become one of the most influential cricket franchise networks in the world.
