Cliff Notes – Higher honours, big pay day on the cards for Hurricanes hero
- Mitch Owen, the top run-scorer in the BBL, scored a record-breaking 108 off 42 balls, leading Hobart Hurricanes to their first title and positioning himself for lucrative franchise opportunities, including potential IPL involvement.
- Despite limited prior appearances, Owen’s performance has sparked discussions about his inclusion in Australia’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, with support from teammates and management regarding his future potential.
Higher honours, big pay day on the cards for Hurricanes hero
A day before the BBL started, Mitch Owen said he wasn’t sure where he’d be batting – or at all – for Hobart Hurricanes this season.
After a record-breaking knock to win the competition for his home-town side, Owen, also the top run-scorer for the league, can start to lift his sights higher. The 23-year-old is set to earn life-changing amounts of money in franchise cricket, potentially starting with a replacement deal at the Indian Premier League.
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Owen’s manager confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he is available as a replacement player for the IPL, having registered for the auction longlist late last year before failing to make the shortlist. The Pakistan Super League, which virtually runs concurrently with the IPL in April and May, could be another option for him.
Owen’s mighty knock of 108 off just 42 balls – the equal-fastest ton in competition history off 39 deliveries – had the sellout crowd chanting his name and won Hobart their first BBL title.
“I feel a bit awkward in these situations. I don’t really know how to take it,” Owen said of the adoration. “It’s super special… the most special thing is hearing everyone in the crowd enjoying it. And I’m so grateful, I’m so proud that we could bring this trophy to Tassie.”
Owen had played just six matches in the previous two seasons for Hurricanes, for a total of 42 runs. Previously a middle-order hitter, Owen said a decision that he would be batting in the top order came “probably one day, to be honest” out from their tournament opener.
Ricky Ponting, Hurricanes’ head of strategy, said he was “amongst that” decision. Declining to elaborate on his role in that move, the Test great happily talked up Owen’s future, saying discussion of him representing Australia in next year’s World Cup was “inevitable”.
Mitchell Owen made the equal fastest century in BBL history off 39 balls Getty Images
“There’s not many players in the world that can do that,” he told AAP of Owen’s heroics in the final. “He’s done it pretty consistently through the tournament… some of his 30s and 40s that he’s got have actually won and set up games for the Hurricanes. And then he ended up getting a hundred in 30-odd balls and the game’s over.”
Hurricanes team-mate and 2021 T20 World Cup winner Matthew Wade agreed Owen “would be there or thereabouts” when it came to squad selection for the 2026 tournament.
“He can be anything… no stage really worries him too much. It was phenomenal,” Wade told AAP.
Owen said he “absolutely” wanted to work towards the squad for the India-Sri Lanka-hosted tournament, which begins in February 2026.
However, David Warner suggested such talk was premature. The losing Thunder captain said the Australian team didn’t need a shake-up.
“No, no. You’ve got the guys that are there at the moment,” he said. “You can earn your stripes… we can’t be just picking blokes and chopping and changing when the guys that are there have won World Cups.”
It will be difficult top order to break into, with Travis Head, Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk and T20 captain Mitch Marsh having claims on those spots.
Steven Smith, left out of last year’s underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign, also has to be considered after starring for the Sydney Sixers in the past two seasons when he has played as an opener in between international duties.
But Warner was certainly happy to credit Owen with a “phenomenal knock” that meant his side came up short after posting 97 without loss after 10 overs.
“We got beat by one player tonight, plain and simple,” he said.
0815 GMT – This story was updated to reflect Owen’s availability as an IPL replacement player.