The Hundred 2026 produced a historic achievement for Trent Rockets, who became the first winners of the combined cross-gender Helix Trophy. The award was introduced to recognise the franchise that performs best across both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Trent Rockets emerged as the standout franchise after both their men’s and women’s teams reached the finals at Lord’s. While their women’s team went one step further to win the title, the men’s side finished as runners-up. Their combined success throughout The Hundred 2026 tournament secured the inaugural Helix Trophy.
What Is the Helix Trophy?
The combined cross-gender Helix trophy is designed to reward consistency and strength across both teams representing a franchise.
The competition uses a points-based system to determine the overall winner. A franchise earns four points for every match victory across the group stage, Eliminator and Final. Teams that finish at the top of their respective group tables also receive an additional four bonus points.
At the end of the season, the points collected by the men’s and women’s teams are combined. The franchise with the highest overall tally is crowned the winner of the Helix Trophy.
This format means a franchise cannot rely on just one successful team. Strong performances from both squads are needed to compete for the award.
Trent Rockets’ Historic 2026 Campaign
Trent Rockets won the combined award after producing outstanding results across both competitions.
The women’s team enjoyed the biggest success, winning the Hundred final against Sunrisers Leeds by eight wickets. They bowled the defending champions out for 91 before chasing down the target in just 54 balls.
The men’s team also reached the final after finishing at the top of the league table. Although they eventually lost the championship match to Manchester Super Giants, their strong group stage campaign and run to the final earned valuable points for the franchise.
The combination of these two campaigns put Trent Rockets at the top of the overall standings.
Both Teams Reached the Lord’s Final
One of the biggest reasons behind Trent Rockets’ success was the performance of both teams on the biggest stage.
Trent Rockets became the only franchise in 2026 to have both its men’s and women’s teams reach the Lord’s finals. The women’s side completed their campaign by lifting the trophy, while the men’s team secured the runners-up position.
Their consistent results during the group stage were equally important. Both teams regularly collected four points from victories, helping the franchise build a strong aggregate total.
The combined trophy was effectively secured before the final deliveries of the season, with Trent Rockets establishing a lead over franchises such as Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers Leeds.
A New Measure of Franchise Success
The Helix Trophy adds another dimension to The Hundred. Instead of measuring success only through individual titles, it rewards franchises that build competitive men’s and women’s teams at the same time.
For Trent Rockets, the inaugural award represents the strength of their entire franchise structure. Their women’s team became champions, their men’s team finished runners-up, and both squads reached the final at Lord’s.
The 2026 season therefore ended with Trent Rockets achieving a unique piece of The Hundred history. They were not only successful in one competition but demonstrated the depth and consistency required to become the first-ever winners of the combined Helix Trophy.
