The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League is a domestic T20 cricket competition organised by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) to give players from Punjab a stronger platform to compete at a professional level. The tournament began as the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup in 2023 and initially used state-selected squads rather than the franchise and auction model seen in major T20 leagues. BLV Blasters won both of the first two editions in 2023 and 2024, establishing themselves as the early dominant team in the competition.
The tournament later underwent a major change. After the 2025 edition was shelved because of administrative changes, the competition returned in 2026 as a franchise-based league with six city teams, marquee players and a player auction. The new structure brought some of Punjab’s biggest cricket names into the same competition, including Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh and Prabhsimran Singh.
The 2026 season also marked a major change in the league’s identity. The earlier editions were essentially a PCA state tournament featuring selected Punjab cricketers, while the new version introduced city-based franchises, fixed marquee-player selections and an auction system. This made the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League much closer to the franchise model used by other Indian domestic T20 leagues.
What Is the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League?
The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League is Punjab’s state-level professional T20 competition. It is organised by the Punjab Cricket Association and is designed to give established domestic players and younger cricketers a competitive platform within the state.
The first two editions were played under the name Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup. Six teams took part in the inaugural 2023 tournament, with the squads formed through the PCA selection system. The original six teams were BLV Blasters, Agri Kings Knights, JK Super Strikers, Trident Stallions, Royal Phantoms and Hampton Falcons.
The competition was staged at the I.S. Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, which has remained the main venue associated with the tournament. The 2023 competition was played over 18 days, while the PCA also arranged national television coverage and online streaming.
In 2026, the tournament moved to a franchise structure. The six teams represented Amritsar, Bathinda, Fazilka, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali, with each franchise given a marquee player before the auction.
History of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League
The history of the competition can be divided into two distinct phases: the original PCA-run T20 Cup from 2023 to 2024 and the franchise-based Sher-e-Punjab T20 League that began in 2026.
The PCA created the competition to provide more opportunities to Punjab’s cricketers. At the time of the first edition, players such as Mandeep Singh, Siddharth Kaul, Mayank Markande, Abhishek Sharma, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Baltej Singh and Harpreet Brar were among the names expected to feature.
The first two seasons showed that a state-level T20 tournament could provide opportunities to both experienced players and younger cricketers. The 2024 tournament, in particular, produced strong numbers from Harnoor Pannu, Gurnoor Brar and several other players who were part of Punjab’s wider domestic setup.
The competition was not held in 2025. The PCA later returned with a redesigned tournament in 2026, moving to six city-based franchises and introducing an auction. The change was described as a new chapter for the competition, with the league seeking to create a more direct pathway for Punjab players into professional cricket.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League Format
The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League follows a round-robin format, with six franchises competing in the 2026 edition. The tournament features 27 matches, including the league stage, semifinals and final, and is organised by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). The competition is designed to give Punjab-based cricketers more opportunities to play competitive T20 cricket alongside established players such as Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh.
The six teams play against each other in the league stage, with the results determining which sides progress to the knockout rounds. The round-robin structure allows each franchise to compete against the other teams before the tournament moves into its decisive phase.
The league stage is followed by two semifinals and the final. The winners of the semifinals meet in the championship match, where the tournament winner is decided.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2023
The inaugural Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup was played in July 2023 at the I.S. Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali. Six teams competed for the title, with the tournament featuring double-headers on most days. The PCA also arranged national television coverage through Star Sports First and streaming through FanCode.
The six teams were:
- BLV Blasters
- Agri Kings Knights
- JK Super Strikers
- Trident Stallions
- Royal Phantoms
- Hampton Falcons
BLV Blasters reached the final against Agri Kings Knights. Agri Kings Knights made 150/9 in their 20 overs, but BLV Blasters chased the target in 17.5 overs to win by seven wickets. Naman Dhir was named Player of the Match after contributing 41 from 18 balls, while Kuwar Pathak finished unbeaten on 52 from 35 balls.
The 2023 title was therefore the first trophy in Sher-e-Punjab T20 history, and BLV Blasters became the inaugural champions.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2024
The second edition expanded the competition from six teams to eight teams. The PCA’s official tournament brief said the expansion was intended to make the competition more competitive and create additional opportunities for emerging cricketers from Punjab. The 2024 tournament was scheduled from June 10 to June 27, with June 28 kept as a reserve day for the final.
The eight teams were BLV Blasters, Trident Stallions, Agri Kings Knights, JK Super Strikers, Intersoft Titans, Royal Phantoms and two additional teams that formed part of the expanded competition.
The 2024 edition produced a high-scoring final between BLV Blasters and Trident Stallions. Trident Stallions posted 204/5 in 20 overs, setting BLV Blasters a target of 205. BLV Blasters reached 205/6 in 19.4 overs to win by four wickets.
Harnoor Pannu was the key player in the final, scoring 83 from 52 balls. His innings helped BLV Blasters chase down the target with two balls remaining.
Pannu also finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 578 runs. He hit 33 sixes and was named Player of the Tournament. Gurnoor Brar was the leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets for Trident Stallions, while Kartik Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh and Harpreet Brar were also among the leading performers.
BLV Blasters therefore became the first team to win the competition twice.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2025
There was no completed Sher-e-Punjab T20 League season in 2025. The tournament was affected by administrative changes and did not continue in the same form after the first two editions.
This is important when looking at the league’s winners list because the competition returned in 2026 under a redesigned franchise structure rather than simply continuing the same six-team or eight-team format used previously. Hindustan Times reported that the PCA had successfully organised the first two editions before the 2025 tournament was shelved.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026
The 2026 season was a major reset for the competition. The PCA introduced six city-based franchises, marquee players and a player auction. The tournament was played from August 30 to September 13, with 27 matches scheduled, including two semifinals and the final.
The six franchises were:
- Fazilka Falcons
- Amritsar Soormas
- Bathinda Royals
- Jalandhar Warriors
- Ludhiana Lions
- Mohali Kings
The 2026 competition featured players from across Punjab and included several cricketers who had already represented India or played in the IPL. The PCA’s new format was designed to give emerging players the opportunity to play alongside more established names.
The league was also backed by Punjab Kings as its Powered By sponsor. Punjab Kings said the partnership was aimed at creating a clearer pathway for young cricketers in Punjab to enter professional cricket and receive greater exposure.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 Teams and Marquee Players
Each of the six franchises had one marquee player, with the six marquee players signed at a fixed price of ₹10 lakh before the main auction.
| Team | Marquee Player |
| Fazilka Falcons | Shubman Gill |
| Amritsar Soormas | Abhishek Sharma |
| Ludhiana Lions | Arshdeep Singh |
| Jalandhar Warriors | Prabhsimran Singh |
| Mohali Kings | Ramandeep Singh |
| Bathinda Royals | Gurnoor Brar |
These six names gave the new competition immediate visibility because all had links to Punjab cricket and several had already played international cricket.
Shubman Gill was the marquee player for Fazilka Falcons, while Abhishek Sharma represented his home city team, Amritsar Soormas. Arshdeep Singh led Ludhiana Lions, Prabhsimran Singh was assigned to Jalandhar Warriors, Ramandeep Singh represented Mohali Kings and Gurnoor Brar was the marquee player for Bathinda Royals.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 Auction
The first player auction in the competition’s history was held in Chandigarh on August 9, 2026. More than 450 Punjab-based cricketers were part of the player pool, while more than 400 players went through the auction process. Each franchise had a purse of ₹45 lakh.
The marquee players were not auctioned. They were assigned to their franchises for a fixed ₹10 lakh fee, leaving the teams with the remaining purse to build their squads.
The most expensive auction purchase was Sanvir Singh, who was bought by Fazilka Falcons for ₹13.20 lakh. He was followed by Naman Dhir, who joined Amritsar Soormas for ₹10.80 lakh. Rahul Kumar went to Amritsar for ₹8.40 lakh, while Anmolpreet Singh joined Mohali Kings for ₹8.20 lakh. Salil Arora was bought by Ludhiana Lions for ₹8 lakh.
The top auction purchases included:
| Player | Team | Price |
| Sanvir Singh | Fazilka Falcons | ₹13.20 lakh |
| Naman Dhir | Amritsar Soormas | ₹10.80 lakh |
| Rahul Kumar | Amritsar Soormas | ₹8.40 lakh |
| Anmolpreet Singh | Mohali Kings | ₹8.20 lakh |
| Salil Arora | Ludhiana Lions | ₹8 lakh |
| Harnoor Singh | Bathinda Royals | ₹7 lakh |
| Ashwani Kumar | Bathinda Royals | ₹7 lakh |
| Anmol Malhotra | Jalandhar Warriors | ₹6.20 lakh |
| Sukhdeep Bajwa | Jalandhar Warriors | ₹6 lakh |
Sanvir Singh’s ₹13.20 lakh price was particularly notable because it was higher than the fixed ₹10 lakh price paid for every marquee player. Naman Dhir was the only other auction player to go above that ₹10 lakh mark.
Star Players in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League
The competition has featured a large number of Punjab players who have gone on to become important names in Indian cricket.
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill is one of the biggest names associated with the 2026 version of the league. The India batter and Punjab cricket product was selected as the marquee player of Fazilka Falcons.
His presence gave the league a major boost because Gill had already established himself as one of India’s leading batters and had become one of the most prominent players in Punjab cricket.
Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma was the marquee player and captain of Amritsar Soormas in 2026. The left-handed batter and left-arm spinner had already become a major T20 player for India and in the IPL.
He produced several important moments during the 2026 tournament. In one match against Fazilka Falcons, he scored 49 from just 15 balls and also took two wickets.
Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh was the marquee player for Ludhiana Lions. The left-arm fast bowler had already become one of India’s leading T20 bowlers and brought international experience to the new franchise competition.
Prabhsimran Singh
Prabhsimran Singh was selected as the marquee player for Jalandhar Warriors. The wicketkeeper-batter had already established himself as a Punjab and IPL player before joining the new league.
Ramandeep Singh
Ramandeep Singh was the marquee player for Mohali Kings. He was part of one of the most memorable matches of the 2026 tournament when Mohali Kings chased 259 against Amritsar Soormas in the opening match.
Gurnoor Brar
Gurnoor Brar was the marquee player for Bathinda Royals. He had already been one of the leading performers in the 2024 edition, when he took 22 wickets for Trident Stallions.
Naman Dhir
Naman Dhir became one of the biggest individual performers of the 2026 season. He joined Amritsar Soormas through the auction for ₹10.80 lakh and produced a huge run-scoring season.
Before the final, Dhir had scored 626 runs in nine matches and had hit 45 sixes. He was the tournament’s leading run-scorer at that stage.
He also produced one of the most remarkable innings of the tournament when he scored 173 from 64 balls against Mohali Kings, hitting 16 fours and 12 sixes. Amritsar posted 279/7 in that match and won by 67 runs.
Year-by-Year Sher-e-Punjab T20 Winners
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Final Result |
| 2023 | BLV Blasters | Agri Kings Knights | BLV Blasters won by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | BLV Blasters | Trident Stallions | BLV Blasters won by 4 wickets |
| 2025 | No completed tournament | — | Tournament shelved |
| 2026 | Amritsar Soormas | Ludhiana Lions | Amritsar Soormas won by 8 wickets |
BLV Blasters remain the most successful team from the original Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup era, having won both completed editions in 2023 and 2024. The 2026 competition was a new franchise era, with none of the original six 2023 teams continuing under the same structure.
Why the League Matters for Punjab Cricket
The main purpose of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League is not simply to add another T20 tournament to the domestic calendar. Its importance lies in creating a more competitive environment for players who are trying to progress through Punjab cricket.
The PCA has used the competition to bring senior players and younger cricketers into the same teams. This gives younger players the opportunity to play alongside cricketers with domestic, IPL and international experience.
The 2024 season illustrated this clearly. Harnoor Pannu, who had been part of India’s Under-19 team that won the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, became the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Aradhya Shukla, another former India Under-19 player, took 16 wickets for BLV Blasters.
The 2026 franchise model expanded that idea further. Instead of simply selecting teams through the PCA, the tournament created a player market through the auction, while each team had a marquee player with significant professional experience. Punjab Kings’ involvement as the Powered By sponsor also adds another layer to the talent pathway.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League Venue
The I.S. Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali has been central to the tournament since its launch. The first edition was held there, and the 2024 tournament was also staged at the venue.
The 2026 season was again played at the PCA stadium in Mohali according to the league’s official tournament information and match records. The entire 27-match schedule was built around the venue.
The concentration of matches at one venue allows the PCA to maintain a consistent playing environment while also giving local players extensive exposure to the same pitch and conditions throughout the tournament.
Broadcasting and Streaming
The 2023 edition was shown nationally on Star Sports First and streamed through FanCode.
The 2026 franchise edition received a wider commercial presentation. Matches were broadcast on Sony Sports Network and streamed on Sony LIV.
The change in broadcast partners reflects the wider ambitions of the franchise version of the competition, particularly its attempt to attract a larger audience beyond Punjab.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League and the IPL Pathway
The league has a clear connection to the wider Indian T20 system because many of its players have played in the IPL or are trying to reach that level.
The 2026 tournament included Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh and Prabhsimran Singh as marquee players, while other players such as Naman Dhir, Sanvir Singh, Harnoor Singh and Anmolpreet Singh also brought IPL experience or strong domestic credentials.
For younger players, the value of the competition is the chance to perform against players who have already played at a higher level. A strong T20 tournament can give selectors, scouts and IPL teams a closer look at players who may not yet have a large national profile.
This is particularly relevant in modern Indian cricket, where state-level T20 competitions have increasingly become important talent-identification platforms.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League: Key Facts
The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League is organised by the Punjab Cricket Association and is focused on players from Punjab. The competition began in 2023 and returned as a franchise-based tournament in 2026.
The first two completed editions were won by BLV Blasters, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s early history.
The 2026 edition introduced six city franchises, with Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar serving as marquee players.
The 2026 auction was held on August 9, with each franchise receiving a ₹45 lakh purse. Sanvir Singh was the most expensive purchase at ₹13.20 lakh.
Naman Dhir was one of the leading performers of the 2026 season, including a 173-run innings from 64 balls against Mohali Kings.
The 2026 final was won by Amritsar Soormas, making them the first champions of the new franchise era.
The Future of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League
The franchise model gives the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League a different future from its first two editions. The introduction of city franchises, an auction and marquee players gives the tournament a more established professional structure, while the involvement of Punjab Kings provides another connection to the IPL ecosystem.
The most important part of the league’s future, however, will remain its ability to produce players for Punjab and eventually for higher levels of Indian cricket. The early editions already showed that the tournament can give young players an opportunity to perform alongside established cricketers.
The 2026 season took that idea further by placing players such as Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh alongside a large group of emerging Punjab cricketers. If the franchise model continues, the competition could become an important part of the state’s domestic T20 pathway and a regular scouting ground for IPL teams.
The history of the tournament is therefore still short, but it has already gone through a significant transformation. BLV Blasters dominated the first two editions, the 2025 season was missed, and the 2026 franchise relaunch brought a new group of teams, players and supporters into the competition. With Amritsar Soormas winning the first franchise-era title, the next phase of Sher-e-Punjab cricket now has its first champion and a new foundation to build on.
FAQs
Q. How many teams play in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League?
A. Six teams play in the 2026 edition.
Q. How many matches are played in the league?
A. The 2026 tournament features 27 matches.
Q. What happens after the league stage?
A. The top teams advance to the semifinals, followed by the final.
Q. Who organises the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League?
A. The Punjab Cricket Association organises the tournament.
Q. What is the format of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League?
A. Teams compete in a round-robin league stage before the knockout rounds.
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