Before stakes in the Hundred franchises were sold in February it was widely assumed that Welsh Fire would be the cheapest off the peg. Based in Cardiff, where bums on seats can be a challenge, and lacking Welsh representation on the field, they have been the butt of a few jokes during the tournament’s short history.
But for Sanjay Govil, an IT entrepreneur and the owner of Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket (MLC), the appeal of “one team, one country” was too great, likewise the “chemistry” during talks with the top brass at Glamorgan. Though he was on a plane when the auction took place, he secured a 49% stake in Welsh Fire, later raised to 50%, that valued the team at £84.6m, more than Trent Rockets or Birmingham Phoenix.
