Published: July 7, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Kavya Maran, Sunrisers Hyderabad CEO and co-owner, has been named among the Top Five of the inaugural cricexec Women’s Power 50. Former Indian captain and Hyderabadi Mithali Raj too has found a place in the list of powerful women from all over the world.
cricexec, the dedicated trade publication for the global cricket industry, today unveiled the inaugural Women’s Power 50, the first-ever list of the 50 most influential women shaping the business of cricket beyond the boundary. Among those recognised is Kavya Maran, whose leadership with Sunrisers Hyderabad has established her as one of the most influential figures in cricket franchise ownership.
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The Women’s Power 50 arrives at a time when women’s cricket continues to reach new milestones on the field, while women are increasingly occupying some of the sport’s most influential leadership positions off it. The annual list is the first dedicated effort to document and celebrate their impact on cricket’s commercial ecosystem.
Mithali Raj
“The business of cricket is evolving rapidly, and women are playing an increasingly important role in shaping its future across governance, investment, broadcasting, franchise ownership and commercial partnerships. The Women’s Power 50 celebrates those leaders and provides a definitive annual record of the people driving the game forward off the pitch,” said Zee Zaidi, Founder & Publisher, cricexec.
Nita Ambani tops the list
India has the largest representation of any country on the inaugural list, underlining its position as the commercial epicentre of world cricket. Leading the list is Nita Ambani, whose influence across cricket’s most valuable ecosystem secures the No. 1 position.
Kavya Maran’s role in the leadership of Sunrisers Hyderabad reflects the growing influence of women in franchise cricket. The list also includes Preity Zinta, Juhi Chawla, Mithali Raj, Sanjana Ganeshan and Mayanti Langer, representing leadership across ownership, broadcasting and administration.
Cricket is entering one of the most commercially significant periods in its history, driven by the rapid expansion of franchise leagues, record-breaking media rights deals and the sport’s growing global footprint. The Women’s Power 50 seeks to recognise and celebrate the leaders helping shape the future of cricket beyond the field of play.
The Women’s Power 50 list is compiled by cricexec’s editorial team through an assessment of each candidate’s impact, reach and influence across the global business of cricket.
Key highlights of the list:
Nita Ambani, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta feature among the top three spots
India has the highest representation of any country on the list
Four of the top five women are Indians
