The Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is one of India’s major state-based T20 cricket competitions. Organised by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the league was created to give local cricketers a strong platform in the shortest format and to take competitive cricket to different parts of the state.
The TNPL began in 2016 with eight city-based franchises. It has since developed into a regular tournament featuring established domestic players alongside younger cricketers looking for opportunities in the IPL and higher levels of Indian cricket. The league completed its 10th season in 2026, when the Vida Kovai Kings defeated the Madurai Panthers by 84 runs in the final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
What Is the Tamil Nadu Premier League?
The Tamil Nadu Premier League is a franchise-based Twenty20 tournament conducted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. The TNCA decided to launch the competition at an executive committee meeting on April 10, 2016, with the first season planned for August and September that year.
The league was created with four main objectives: developing Tamil Nadu players through competitive T20 cricket, providing a platform for local players to showcase their ability, supporting cricket infrastructure in different districts and bringing new audiences to cricket grounds across the state.
The competition started with eight teams and has continued with eight franchises in its modern form. The teams are linked to different cities and regions of Tamil Nadu, helping the tournament build a local identity while also creating rivalries between franchises.
History of the Tamil Nadu Premier League
TNPL 2016
The inaugural TNPL season was played in 2016, with eight teams competing for the first championship.
Tuti Patriots reached the final against Chepauk Super Gillies at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Patriots produced a dominant performance, scoring 215/2 before bowling Chepauk out for 93 in 18.5 overs to win by 122 runs. Abhinav Mukund scored an unbeaten 82 from 52 balls, while Dinesh Karthik made 55 from 26 balls. Ganesh Moorthi took four wickets for 11 runs and was named Player of the Match.
The result gave Tuti Patriots the first TNPL trophy and established the competition with a high-scoring final.
TNPL 2017
Chepauk Super Gillies responded strongly in the second edition. They defeated the defending champions Tuti Patriots by six wickets in the final after chasing down 144 in 19 overs.
Washington Sundar was one of the standout players of the tournament, while Chepauk’s successful chase gave the franchise its first TNPL title.
The second season also established a more developed playoff structure, with the eight teams playing a round-robin league before the top sides progressed through the knockout stage.
TNPL 2018
Siechem Madurai Panthers won their first title in 2018 after defeating Dindigul Dragons by seven wickets in the final.
Dindigul were bowled out for 117, with N Jagadeesan scoring 51. Abhishek Tanwar led the Panthers’ attack with 4/30, while Varun Chakravarthy took 2/9. Madurai then chased the target in 17.1 overs, with Arun Karthik remaining unbeaten on 75 from 50 balls.
The victory was particularly notable because Madurai had struggled in the first two seasons before making a major turnaround.
TNPL 2019
Chepauk Super Gillies won their second championship in 2019, defeating Dindigul Dragons by 12 runs in another close final.
Chepauk made 126/8 in their 20 overs, with Uthirasamy Sasidev scoring 44 from 33 balls. Dindigul managed 114/9 in reply. Ganeshan Periyaswamy was the main difference between the two sides, taking 5/15 from four overs, including three wickets in the final over.
Periyaswamy’s performance earned him Player of the Match and Player of the Series honours.
Why Was There No TNPL in 2020?
The TNPL did not take place in 2020. The season was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also affected several other sporting competitions in India and around the world.
The tournament returned in 2021, with the competition continuing to use eight franchises.
TNPL 2021
Chepauk Super Gillies won their third title in 2021 after defeating Ruby Trichy Warriors by eight runs in the final.
Chepauk scored 183/6, with Narayan Jagadeesan making 90 from 58 balls. Trichy Warriors fought back with 175/7 but fell short in the final over. R Sai Kishore played an important role with the ball, helping Chepauk defend the target.
The title made Chepauk the first team to win the competition three times.
TNPL 2022 and the Shared Title
The 2022 season produced one of the most unusual endings in TNPL history.
Chepauk Super Gillies and Lyca Kovai Kings reached the final at the SNR College Cricket Ground in Coimbatore. Persistent rain prevented the final from being completed, so neither side could be declared the outright winner.
The trophy was therefore shared between Chepauk Super Gillies and Lyca Kovai Kings. It remains the only shared championship in TNPL history.
The result also gave Kovai Kings their first TNPL championship.
TNPL 2023
Lyca Kovai Kings won the 2023 tournament outright, defeating Nellai Royal Kings by 104 runs in the final at the Indian Cement Company Ground in Tirunelveli.
Kovai scored 205/5 after being asked to bat first. J Suresh Kumar made 57 from 33 balls, U Mukilesh scored an unbeaten 51 and Atheeq Ur Rahman struck 50 from just 21 balls.
Nellai struggled in the chase and were dismissed for 101 in 15 overs. Jhathavedh Subramanyan was the Player of the Match after taking 4/21.
The 104-run victory was one of the biggest winning margins in a TNPL final.
TNPL 2024
Dindigul Dragons finally won their first TNPL title in 2024 after reaching the final several times previously.
The Dragons faced defending champions Lyca Kovai Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Kovai made 129/7, but Dindigul chased the target in 18.2 overs to win by six wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin was the key performer. He scored 52 from 46 balls and had already contributed with the ball, completing four overs for only 13 runs. Baba Indrajith added 32 as Dindigul reached 131/4.
The victory gave Ashwin his first TNPL title as captain and gave Dindigul their first championship.
TNPL 2025
The 2025 season produced another new champion when iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans defeated Dindigul Dragons in the final.
Tiruppur posted 220/5 at the NPR College Ground in Dindigul. Tushar Raheja scored 77 from 46 balls, while VP Amit Sathvik contributed 65 from 34 balls.
Dindigul’s chase collapsed to 102 all out in 14.4 overs, giving Tiruppur a 118-run victory. The margin was the largest in a TNPL final at that point, and Tushar Raheja was named Player of the Match.
The victory was Tiruppur Tamizhans’ first TNPL title.
TNPL 2026
The 2026 season was the 10th edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League. The tournament ran from August 4 to August 28, with eight teams playing 28 league matches followed by four playoff matches.
Each team played the other seven teams once in the league stage. The top four qualified for the playoffs, which consisted of Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the final. The early matches were played in Dindigul before the tournament moved to Chennai for the later league matches and knockout stage.
The eight teams were Vida Kovai Kings, Nellai Royal Kings, Chepauk Super Gillies, Dindigul Dragons, Madurai Panthers, iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans, Trichy Grand Cholas and SKM Salem Spartans.
2026 Final
The 2026 final was played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on August 28.
Vida Kovai Kings scored 182/7 after choosing to bat first. Andre Siddarth produced the decisive innings, hitting 82 from 47 balls with seven fours and five sixes. Sachin Balasubramaniam also contributed 39.
Madurai Panthers were then bowled out for 98 in 14.2 overs. P Saravanan took four wickets, while Manimaran Siddharth and Shahrukh Khan also played important roles with the ball. Kovai Kings won by 84 runs.
The victory gave Kovai Kings their third TNPL title, following their shared championship in 2022 and outright title in 2023. It also made them the second franchise after Chepauk Super Gillies to win at least three TNPL championships.
Andre Siddarth was named Player of the Match after his 82-run innings.
TNPL Winners List
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Result |
| 2016 | Tuti Patriots | Chepauk Super Gillies | Won by 122 runs |
| 2017 | Chepauk Super Gillies | Tuti Patriots | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2018 | Siechem Madurai Panthers | Dindigul Dragons | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2019 | Chepauk Super Gillies | Dindigul Dragons | Won by 12 runs |
| 2020 | Not held | — | COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Chepauk Super Gillies | Ruby Trichy Warriors | Won by 8 runs |
| 2022 | Chepauk Super Gillies & Lyca Kovai Kings | — | Final washed out |
| 2023 | Lyca Kovai Kings | Nellai Royal Kings | Won by 104 runs |
| 2024 | Dindigul Dragons | Lyca Kovai Kings | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2025 | iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans | Dindigul Dragons | Won by 118 runs |
| 2026 | Vida Kovai Kings | Madurai Panthers | Won by 84 runs |
Chepauk Super Gillies remain the most successful franchise with four titles, including their share of the 2022 championship. Kovai Kings have three titles when their 2022 shared championship is included. Dindigul Dragons, Madurai Panthers, Tiruppur Tamizhans and Tuti Patriots have each won one outright title.
TNPL Format
The TNPL uses a league-and-playoff format involving eight teams.
In the current format, every team plays seven league matches, facing each opponent once. The top four teams qualify for the playoffs.
The top two teams meet in Qualifier 1. The third- and fourth-placed teams play the Eliminator, with the winner advancing to Qualifier 2 against the loser of Qualifier 1. The winner of Qualifier 1 reaches the final directly, while the winner of Qualifier 2 takes the other final spot.
The 2026 tournament followed this structure with 28 league matches and four knockout matches, making 32 matches in total.
Every match is a standard T20 game, with each team allowed a maximum of 20 overs. The TNPL playing handbook also provides reserve days for playoff matches and the final in case weather prevents completion on the scheduled day.
TNPL Teams
The current eight teams are:
- Vida Kovai Kings — Coimbatore
- Nellai Royal Kings — Tirunelveli
- Chepauk Super Gillies — Chennai
- Dindigul Dragons — Dindigul
- Madurai Panthers — Madurai
- iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans — Tiruppur
- Trichy Grand Cholas — Tiruchirappalli
- SKM Salem Spartans — Salem
The official TNPL website lists these eight franchises for the 2026 competition.
Several franchises have changed names or locations during the league’s history. Tuti Patriots became Salem Spartans, Karaikudi Kaalai moved to Tiruppur and became Tiruppur Tamizhans, while the Trichy franchise went through the names Trichy Warriors, Ba11sy Trichy and finally Trichy Grand Cholas. The former Kanchi franchise eventually moved to Tirunelveli and became Nellai Royal Kings.
TNPL Records
The league has produced several notable statistical achievements.
Narayan Jagadeesan leads the all-time run charts with 2,763 runs. Baba Aparajith and Arun Karthik are also among the leading run-scorers in TNPL history.
The 2026 season produced some particularly strong batting numbers. Balasubramaniam Sachin finished as the leading run-scorer with 428 runs, followed closely by Tushar Raheja with 422. Jagadeesan was third with 323 runs.
K Deeban Lingesh led the 2026 wicket charts with 17 wickets, followed by Manimaran Siddharth with 16 and K Easwaran with 15.
The highest individual score in TNPL history remains Sai Sudharsan’s unbeaten 123 for Kovai Kings against Tiruppur Tamizhans in 2024.
The league has also produced several huge team totals. In 2026, Madurai Panthers made 240/4 against Kovai Kings, while Chepauk Super Gillies scored 240/2 against Madurai Panthers.
TNPL and the IPL Pathway
One of the most important roles of the TNPL is giving Tamil Nadu players a competitive T20 environment close to home.
The league allows young players to compete against experienced domestic cricketers and established names, while performances can help players attract attention from IPL franchises and state selectors.
The TNCA itself identifies player development as one of the main purposes of the competition. The league was specifically created to provide Tamil Nadu players with opportunities to play competitive T20 cricket and showcase their talent.
The careers of players such as Washington Sundar, T Natarajan, Varun Chakravarthy, Sai Kishore and others illustrate how the tournament fits into the broader Tamil Nadu cricket system.
TNPL Venues
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai has traditionally been one of the most important TNPL venues, particularly for playoff matches and finals.
However, the league was designed to take professional cricket beyond Chennai. Matches have been staged at grounds in cities and districts, including Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Salem.
The 2026 season began in Dindigul before moving to Chennai for the latter part of the league and the playoffs. The final was held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on August 28.
This district-based approach remains an important part of the league’s identity because it gives supporters outside Chennai the opportunity to watch high-level T20 cricket in their own regions.
Why the TNPL Matters to Tamil Nadu Cricket
The TNPL has developed beyond being simply a short domestic tournament. It has become an important part of Tamil Nadu’s cricket structure, particularly for T20 players.
The competition gives emerging cricketers access to franchise-style cricket, while established players provide experience within the same teams. It also allows players from different districts to perform in front of larger audiences and compete in pressure situations.
The league’s history also shows a steady change in champions. Tuti Patriots won the first title, Chepauk Super Gillies became the dominant team of the early years, and Kovai Kings established themselves as another successful franchise. In 2026, Kovai Kings returned to the top with their third championship.
FAQs
Q. When did the Tamil Nadu Premier League start?
A. The TNPL began in 2016 with eight teams.
Q. Who won the first TNPL title?
A. Tuti Patriots won the inaugural TNPL title in 2016.
Q. Which team has won the most TNPL titles?
A. Chepauk Super Gillies have won four titles.
Q. Who won the TNPL 2026 title?
A. Vida Kovai Kings defeated Madurai Panthers by 84 runs.
Q. Which player has scored the most TNPL runs?
A. Narayan Jagadeesan leads the all-time chart with 2,763 runs.
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