MI London head coach says she was the only woman leading a team at the historic auction, highlighting the need for more female coaches in franchise cricket.

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Lisa Keightley expressed disappointment over the lack of female representation among head coaches during the inaugural Women’s Hundred auction, where she was the only woman leading a team. The MI London head coach said that while the women’s game is rapidly growing in popularity, leadership opportunities for women still need improvement.

The auction, held near Piccadilly Circus, saw record-breaking bids and growing financial investment in the women’s competition. Keightley acknowledged that the rise of strong domestic leagues in India, England and Australia has accelerated the growth of women’s cricket and improved pay equity.

Despite the progress, Keightley pointed out the noticeable absence of women in top coaching positions. She said looking around the room and realising she was the only female head coach was disappointing, though she remains hopeful that more women will take up leadership roles in the future.

Former England stars Sarah Taylor and Anya Shrubsole were also present at the auction but in assistant coaching roles. Taylor was part of the Manchester Super Giants setup, while Shrubsole continues to build her coaching career with Southern Brave.

Shrubsole has steadily gained coaching experience after working under Charlotte Edwards at Southern Vipers and serving as bowling coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore during their WPL-winning season. Taylor, meanwhile, has coached across both men’s and women’s teams, including stints with England Lions and WPL franchise Gujarat Giants.

Keightley, who has coached teams such as England women’s national cricket team, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, encouraged aspiring female coaches to take opportunities when they arise. According to her, many women hesitate to step into head coaching roles because they feel they are not ready, but gaining experience is the only way to grow.

She believes the number of female head coaches will increase gradually as more former players transition into coaching roles and gain experience within franchise systems.

On the team front, MI London entered the auction with several star players already signed, including Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. The franchise further strengthened its squad by adding West Indies allrounder Chinelle Henry and Australia’s Nicola Carey.

One of the notable signings was uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kira Chathli, who was bought for £80,000 after an impressive 2025 season where she finished sixth among the tournament’s leading run-scorers.

Keightley admitted it might have been ideal to add another power hitter in the top order but remains confident about the squad’s depth. She believes the team has enough batting strength, particularly with strong openers and a lineup that can bat deep into the order.

With a balanced squad and experienced players, MI London will aim to make a strong impact in the upcoming Women’s Hundred season while Keightley continues advocating for greater female representation in top coaching roles across global cricket.