Madhya Pradesh League T20 2026 Teams: Captains & Players List

The Madhya Pradesh League T20 2026 is now a 10-team tournament, which is the biggest it has ever been. Organised by the GDCA under the MPCA and approved by the BCCI, this franchise T20 league runs from June 3 to June 26, 2026. Three new men’s franchises and two new women’s franchises have joined the competition this year.

The 2026 season also introduced an IPL-style player auction for the first time, replacing the earlier draft system. This changed how teams built their squads and who ended up where.

In this article, we have covered every men’s and women’s team, full squad details, team captains and owners, auction highlights, top players to watch, and all the live streaming options.

Madhya Pradesh League T20 2026 Overview

Before we get into the teams and squads, here is a quick summary of the tournament. This covers all the basics you need to know about MPL T20 2026.

The tournament trophy is called the Scindia Cup, named after the league’s founder Mahanaaryaman Rao Scindia. It is presented by title partner Aditya Birla Group.

Madhya Pradesh T20 League Teams List 2026

The 2026 edition has ten men’s teams and five women’s teams. Each franchise represents a different region of Madhya Pradesh. This gives the league a genuine state-wide identity rather than being concentrated in just one or two cities.

Full Men’s Teams List

All ten franchises are listed below along with the region they represent. The last three are new additions for this season.

• Bhopal Leopards (Bhopal Division)
• Bundelkhand Bulls (Bundelkhand Region)
• Chambal Ghariyals (Chambal Division)
• Gwalior Cheetahs (Gwalior Division)
• Indore Pink Panthers (Indore Division)
• Jabalpur Royal Lions (Jabalpur Division)
• Rewa Jaguars (Rewa and Vindhya Region)
• Malwa Stallions (New Team, 2026)
• Ujjain Falcons (New Team, 2026)
• Royal Nimar Eagles (New Team, 2026)

The expansion from seven to ten teams means every major geographical region of Madhya Pradesh now has its own franchise. That is good for talent discovery from smaller districts.

Women’s Teams List

The women’s tournament now has five teams, up from three in the 2025 edition. The women’s league runs from June 4 to June 13 alongside the men’s schedule.

• Bhopal Wolves
• Bundelkhand Bulls Women
• Chambal Ghariyals Women
• Gwalior Shernis (New, 2026)
• Royal Nimar Eagles Women (New, 2026)

Adding Gwalior Shernis and Royal Nimar Eagles Women gives female cricketers from two new regions a proper competitive platform at the franchise level.

New Teams Added in MPL T20 2026

Three new men’s franchises have been added this year. Each one covers a region that did not have a team before. Here is a brief look at what each new team brings to the 2026 edition.

Malwa Stallions

The Malwa Stallions represent the Malwa plateau region of MP. They made headlines at the auction by spending Rs. 15 Lakh on Ashutosh Sharma, the highest price paid for any player in the 2026 auction.

Parth Sahani leads the team. Their squad focuses on aggressive batting and is built to target big totals at Holkar Stadium.

Ujjain Falcons

The Ujjain Falcons are owned by Vinayak Kalani and captained by Madhav Tiwari, who was acquired for Rs. 10.60 Lakh at the auction.

Ujjain gets into the action right away, as the very first match of the tournament on June 3 at 7:30 PM IST is between the Gwalior Cheetahs and the Ujjain Falcons. Their squad has a good mix of young talent and experienced domestic players.

Royal Nimar Eagles

Royal Nimar Eagles represent the Nimar region along the Narmada valley. The team is captained by Saransh Jain and is owned by the AISECT Group.

Kumar Kartikeya Singh leads their bowling attack, having been bought for Rs. 10.20 Lakh. The squad is well-balanced with a solid combination of spinners and aggressive lower-order batters.

Why This Expansion Matters

Adding three new teams is not just about bigger numbers. It creates real benefits for state cricket.

• More than 45 new starting positions open up for uncapped MP cricketers.
• IPL scouts have started attending MPL matches because of the larger player pool.
• Towns like Ujjain and Nimar now have their own teams, which brings local fan engagement.
• A second venue at Daly College Ground had to be added to manage the increased fixture load.

This is steady, practical growth for domestic cricket in Madhya Pradesh.

MPL T20 2026 Team Owners and Captains

Here is the complete list of all ten men’s teams with their official captains and franchise owners. Two teams share a captain name due to dual-franchise contracts.

Venkatesh Iyer captaining the Indore Pink Panthers and Rajat Patidar leading Gwalior Cheetahs are the two most high-profile captaincy appointments in the 2026 edition.

Madhya Pradesh T20 League Squads 2026

Below are the full squad breakdowns for all ten men’s teams. Players were assigned through the 2026 IPL-style open auction, which is a first for this tournament.

Bhopal Leopards Squad

The defending champions have assembled a well-rounded squad. Their strength lies in the all-rounder department, with Mohd. Arshad Khan leading both bat and ball.

• Batters: Aniket Verma (Rs. 13.20 Lakh), Ansh Bagadia, Suraj Yadav, Shubham Kushwah
• All-Rounders: Mohd. Arshad Khan (C), Kamal Tripathi, Himanshu Shinde, Pranjul Puri, Ajay Mishra, Taanishq Yadav
• Bowlers: Pawan Nirwani, Amol Kasture, Yuvraj Nema, Manish Kumar, Anurag Malviya
• Wicketkeepers: Kunal Rai, Rahul Chandrol, Anchit Singh Thakur, Gourav Pichoniya

Bundelkhand Bulls Squad

Bundelkhand Bulls have a deep squad led by Shivang Kumar, who was bought for Rs. 13 Lakh. Kuldeep Sen adds serious pace to their bowling lineup.

• Batters: Abhishek Pathak, Parth Goswami, Rudransh Singh, Bhumesh Muzalda, Aman Solanki
• All-Rounders: Shivang Kumar (C), Anant Dubey, Vikrant Bhadoriya, Aman Jain, Goutam Joshi
• Bowlers: Kuldeep Sen, Omkarnath Singh, Harsh Gawali, Yash Patidar, Divyanshu Yadav, Karan Tahilyani

Chambal Ghariyals Squad

Chambal Ghariyals are the 2025 runners-up. They have Avesh Khan as their lead pace bowler, which gives them a clear edge in the death overs.

• Batters: Shubham Sharma (C), Ankush Singh, Gautam Raghuvanshi, Rohit Kumar Gupta, Mayur Singh
• All-Rounders: Aman Bhadoriya, Tripuresh Singh, Harsh Dixit, Madhur Seth, Akash Rajawat
• Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Divyanshu Yadav, Yash Kumar Lodhi, Piyush Patel, Nayanraj Mewada, Rohit Rajawat
• Wicketkeeper: Vineet Rawat

Gwalior Cheetahs Squad

Gwalior Cheetahs are led by Rajat Patidar, one of the most in-form batters in Indian domestic cricket. They are a strong batting side suited to Holkar Stadium’s conditions.

• Batters: Rajat Patidar (C), Parth Chaudhary, Kartik Parihar, Vandit Joshi, Harshvardhan Hardia
• All-Rounders: Mangesh Yadav (Rs. 12 Lakh), Arpit Patel, Parth Sahani, Anvesh Chawla, Vikas Sharma
• Bowlers: Saumy Kumar Pandey, Akash Singh, Ishan Afridi, Anubhav Agarwal, Vishnu Bhardwaj
• Wicketkeepers: Akash Raghuvanshi, Inder Singh Banjara, Rakesh Thakur, Kuldeep Gehi

Indore Pink Panthers Squad

Indore Pink Panthers have the biggest name in the tournament. Venkatesh Iyer captains the side and also serves as their primary power hitter at the top of the order.

• Batters: Aayam Verma, Karan Tahilyani, Shubham Rathore, Saransh Bhargava, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Aman Jain
• All-Rounders: Venkatesh Iyer (C, Rs. 12.50 Lakh), Anvesh Chawla, Saransh Surana, Lucky Mishra, Masoom Raza
• Bowlers: Shivam Shukla, Roshan Kewat, Akash Rajawat, Aviral Singh, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mihir Hirwani
• Wicketkeepers: Atharv Joshi, Siddharth Patidar, Arpit Gaud, Mehfooz Patel

Jabalpur Royal Lions Squad

Jabalpur Royal Lions are the 2024 champions. Rahul Batham leads them this season. They have a large all-rounder-heavy squad that gives them tactical flexibility in every match.

• Batters: Arpit Gaud, Akarsh Singh Parihar, Adheer Pratap Singh, Atul Kushwah, Dharmesh Patel
• All-Rounders: Puneet Datey (Rs. 10 Lakh), Ritik Tada, Rahul Batham (C), Akshat Dwivedi, Vedant Awasthi, Prince Wadhwani
• Bowlers: Pankaj Patel, Akshay Sharma, Mihir Hirwani, Ritwik Diwan, Aayam Sardana, Ankit Kushwah

Rewa Jaguars Squad

Rewa Jaguars paid Rs. 13.80 Lakh for Akshat Raghuwanshi, the second-highest bid in the auction. Kumar Kartikeya adds a high-quality spin option to their bowling unit.

• Batters: Akshat Raghuwanshi (Rs. 13.80 Lakh), Atharv Mahajan, Prithviraj Singh Tomar (C), Naveen Singh Chouhan, Mukul Raghav
• All-Rounders: Sagar Solanki, Jaydev Singh, Pranjul Puri, Radhakrishna Dwivedi
• Bowlers: Ramveer Singh Gurjar, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashwin Das, Shivam Shukla, Aryan Deshmukh, Piyush Tiwari
• Wicketkeepers: Chanchal Rathore, Himanshu Mantri, Anant Verma

Malwa Stallions Squad

The new Malwa Stallions have gone all-in on Ashutosh Sharma. His ability to score quickly at the end of an innings makes him perfect for T20 cricket at Holkar Stadium.

• Batters: Ashutosh Sharma (C bid, Rs. 15 Lakh), Akhil Nigote Yadav, Pankaj Sharma, Ansh Yadav
• All-Rounders: Rishabh Singh Chauhan, Parth Sahani (C), Aryan Deshmukh
• Bowlers: Harshvardhan Singh, Vivek Sharma, Aditya Mishra, Ishan Chaudhary, Vineet Rawat, Prashant Kasde

Ujjain Falcons Squad

Ujjain Falcons look to make a strong first impression in their debut season. Their squad is compact but aggressive, built around a few key players at the top.

• Batters: Ojaswa Yadav, Ankur Singh Chauhan, Shubham Kushwah, Soham Patwardhan, Rishi Miglani
• All-Rounders: Madhav Tiwari (C, Rs. 10.60 Lakh), Aryan Pandey, Masoom Raza Kaif, Harshvardhan Hardia
• Bowlers: Gajendra Goswami, Adheer Pratap Singh, Aayush Mankar, Naveen Nagle
• Wicketkeepers: Chanchal Rathore, Yash Dubey

Royal Nimar Eagles Squad

Royal Nimar Eagles have a clear game plan. Saransh Jain captains a balanced unit and Kumar Kartikeya Singh gives them a genuine match-winning bowling option in every game.

• Batters: Anand Singh Bais, Kanishk Dubey, Dharmesh Patel, Pranit Patidar, Abhishek Mavi
• All-Rounders: Saransh Jain (C), Pushkar Vishwakarma, Prarabdha V Mishra, Shantanu Raghuvanshi
• Bowlers: Kumar Kartikeya Singh (Rs. 10.20 Lakh), Parush Mandal, Shivansh Chaturvedi, Kartik Rajoriya

Top Players to Watch in MPL T20 2026

With an auction for the first time, some of the best domestic names in Indian cricket are now spread across different franchises. Here are the players worth following closely this season.

IPL Players in the Tournament

Several active IPL cricketers are part of the 2026 MPL squads. Playing alongside unbeknownst state-level players gives the whole competition a different feel.

• Rajat Patidar (Gwalior Cheetahs): The RCB top-order batter is captaining Gwalior. His form will be key to how far they go.
• Venkatesh Iyer (Indore Pink Panthers): The KKR all-rounder leads Indore. He can change a match in a single over with the bat.
• Avesh Khan (Chambal Ghariyals): One of the best death bowlers in the country. He gives Chambal a huge advantage in close games.
• Ashutosh Sharma (Malwa Stallions): Punjab Kings finisher and the most expensive player in the 2026 auction at Rs. 15 Lakh.
• Kumar Kartikeya (Rewa and Royal Nimar): A wrist-spinner who regularly takes wickets in pressure situations.

Emerging Young Talents

A few younger names deserve attention this season. These are players who have shown enough in club and Ranji cricket to get big auction bids and starting roles.

• Akshat Raghuwanshi (Rewa Jaguars): Technically strong middle-order batter bought for Rs. 13.80 Lakh. Looks like a future Ranji regular.
• Madhav Tiwari (Ujjain Falcons): Identified through the Delhi Capitals scouting pipeline. An all-rounder with strong T20 instincts.
• Shivang Kumar (Bundelkhand Bulls): The Rs. 13 Lakh captain brings explosive batting and energetic fielding to Bundelkhand.

Best All-Rounders This Season

All-rounders tend to decide close T20 matches, and the 2026 MPL has several quality options across different teams.

• Saransh Jain (Royal Nimar Eagles): Off-spin combined with useful lower-order hitting makes him a reliable match-day option.
• Mohd. Arshad Khan (Bhopal Leopards): Left-arm pace with genuine lower-order hitting ability. Perfect for T20 cricket.
• Parth Sahani (Malwa Stallions / Gwalior): Featuring in multiple squads, he is one of the most versatile players in the tournament.

MPL T20 2026 Auction Highlights

The 2026 season introduced an open player auction for the first time. Teams had set budgets and had to bid against each other to sign players. This changed squad dynamics completely and created some surprising team compositions.

Ashutosh Sharma’s Rs. 15 Lakh price tag set a new record for the tournament. The Malwa Stallions clearly went into the auction with him as their number one priority.

Akshat Raghuwanshi at Rs. 13.80 Lakh was the second-biggest spend and shows how much teams value quality batting depth.

It is interesting to note that seven of the top ten auction picks are either batters or batting all-rounders, which tells you what teams at Holkar Stadium prioritise most.

MPL T20 2026 Opening Fixtures and Schedule

The full 24-day tournament schedule runs from June 3 to June 26, 2026. Here are the most important dates to keep in mind from the start of the competition.

Opening Match

• Fixture: Gwalior Cheetahs vs Ujjain Falcons
• Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Venue: Holkar Stadium, Indore

A new franchise making its debut in the very first match of the season is quite an exciting way to begin.

Key Early Fixtures

• June 4 at 3:00 PM IST: Malwa Stallions vs Chambal Ghariyals. The debut of the auction’s biggest spender against the 2025 runners-up.
• June 4 at 7:30 PM IST: Bhopal Leopards vs Indore Pink Panthers. Defending champions take on Venkatesh Iyer’s side in a marquee clash.

Semi-Finals and Final

• 1st Semi-Final: June 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM IST, Holkar Stadium.
• 2nd Semi-Final: June 25, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST, Holkar Stadium.
• Grand Final: June 26, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST, Holkar Stadium.

The top four teams from the league stage will qualify for the knockout rounds. Net Run Rate decides positions in case of a points tie.

Madhya Pradesh League T20 2026 Live Streaming

You have multiple ways to follow the MPL T20 2026, whether on television or through your phone or laptop.

TV Broadcast

Star Sports Network holds the television rights for the entire tournament.

• Star Sports 1 carries the primary evening broadcast.
• Star Sports Select covers afternoon matches and parallel fixtures.
• Commentary is available in both Hindi and English.

Online Streaming

All matches are available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website. The platform offers HD quality, multi-camera angles, and live statistics during the match. The app works on both Android and iOS devices.

Previous Winners of MPL T20

The tournament has been running since 2024. Both editions have ended in close finishes, which shows how competitive the league has become from the very beginning.

Defending Champions: Bhopal Leopards

Bhopal Leopards won the 2025 title in dramatic fashion, defending a small total against Chambal Ghariyals and winning by just 2 runs in the final over.

That title came on the back of smart spin bowling in the second half and calm decision-making under pressure. They enter 2026 with the same core group but a refreshed squad from the auction. Every team they face will be motivated to knock out the champions.

Why MPL T20 2026 Matters for Indian Domestic Cricket

Talent Development Platform

State leagues like the MPL fill an important gap between club cricket and the Ranji Trophy. Playing under floodlights, on television, in front of franchise fans is a different experience from anything a club cricketer gets otherwise.

Past MPL performers have already started showing up in Ranji Trophy squads and IPL trials, which proves the league is working as a talent pipeline.

IPL Pathway for MP Players

IPL franchises have started sending scouts to MPL matches because the player pool is now large enough to justify attention.

For cricketers from Rewa, Nimar, or Bundelkhand, this is a direct line to bigger opportunities that would have been very hard to access before franchise cricket came to the state.

Expansion of Women’s Cricket

The women’s tournament growing from three to five teams is a significant step. More contracts, more competitive matches, and more visibility for female cricketers from MP are the immediate outcomes. 

The broader goal is to build a direct pipeline from state-level franchise cricket to the Women’s Premier League.

Conclusion

The Madhya Pradesh League T20 2026 is a genuinely exciting edition for anyone following domestic cricket. Ten teams, a fresh auction format, and some serious IPL names make this the most competitive MPL season to date.

The three new franchises bring in fresh fan bases, new players, and fresh rivalries. The women’s expansion adds another layer of reason to follow the full tournament through June.

Check the full fixtures, bookmark the JioHotstar app for live streaming, and follow your team from the opening ball on June 3. This is MP cricket at its best.