The Hundred: Tech billionaire Sanjay Govil plans to start a fire in Wales

Although he may be a stranger to Wales, Jovel is quick to point out his familiarity with the success of the franchise.

His Washington Freedom team won the most games in the MLC’s three years, capturing the Cup in 2024 and finishing second in 2025.

“I have a history of doing this, and it’s not just Washington Freedom. I had a professional badminton team in India and the first year we won the championship,” the Maryland-based businessman said.

“Even in business, I took assets that were really underperforming and turned them around.”

The secret of his success?

“It’s all about looking at the big picture, getting the right ingredients, and creating a very fertile environment for success,” he explained.

Fire has already been busy trying to get the right components.

Salt, Chris Woakes, Marco Janssen and Rasheen Ravindra have joined the men’s team as direct signings while Freya Kemp, Georgia Wareham and Georgia Fall have signed for the women’s team.

If Jovel is to succeed in reversing the fortunes of his new franchise, the team’s performance on the field must reflect his bold confidence.

The next step in building this team will come at the opening auction this week.

As well as having the opportunity to build a competitive team, Govil will have the opportunity to highlight Welsh talent and create an identity that fans are more likely to subscribe to.

Then comes the hope of bringing a history of success to a place that has not yet experienced it.