The Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) is a franchise-based T20 cricket tournament organised by the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA). The league was relaunched in 2023 after an earlier tournament was held in 2009 and then discontinued for several years. The modern MPL gives players from Maharashtra a platform to compete in franchise cricket and gain exposure ahead of domestic competitions such as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
The tournament has featured six teams in each of its recent editions. Ratnagiri Jets won the first two editions after the league returned in 2023, while Eagle Nashik Titans won the 2025 season. The 2026 men’s edition did not take place as originally planned.
What Is the Maharashtra Premier League?
The Maharashtra Premier League is a state-level franchise T20 competition run by the Maharashtra Cricket Association. It brings together cricketers from different parts of Maharashtra and gives them an opportunity to play in a professional franchise tournament.
The modern version of the league began in 2023 with six franchises. The teams represent different cities and regions of Maharashtra, creating a local identity similar to other state-level T20 leagues in India.
The competition is also designed as a pathway for emerging players. The MCA has described the MPL as a platform where players from different parts of the state can showcase their skills and seek opportunities at the national level.
History of the Maharashtra Premier League
The Maharashtra Premier League has two distinct phases. An earlier MPL was held in 2009, while the current franchise competition began in 2023 after a long break.
2009 – Original Maharashtra Premier League
The original Maharashtra Premier League was launched in 2009, but the tournament did not continue as an annual competition.
The league returned much later in a new franchise format, with the Maharashtra Cricket Association introducing six new teams for the 2023 edition.
2023 – Ratnagiri Jets
The modern Maharashtra Premier League began in June 2023 with six teams.
Ratnagiri Jets reached the final against Kolhapur Tuskers. The final was abandoned because of rain, and the Ratnagiri Jets were declared champions. It was their first MPL title.
Azim Kazi was the icon player and captain of Ratnagiri Jets, while Kolhapur Tuskers were led by experienced India and Maharashtra cricketer, Kedar Jadhav.
2024 – Ratnagiri Jets
Ratnagiri Jets successfully defended their title in 2024.
They defeated Eagle Nashik Titans by 24 runs in the final at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Ratnagiri scored 160/8 before restricting Nashik to 136/9.
The result made Ratnagiri Jets the first team to win the modern MPL twice.
2025 – Eagle Nashik Titans
Eagle Nashik Titans won their first Maharashtra Premier League title in 2025.
They defeated Raigad Royals by six wickets in the final at the MCA International Stadium in Pune. Raigad scored 190/4, with Siddhesh Veer making an unbeaten 99, before Nashik chased the target with five balls remaining.
Arshin Kulkarni was the key performer in the chase, scoring 77 from 53 balls. Ranjit Nikam and Atharva Kale then completed the chase as Eagle Nashik Titans reached 191/4 in 19.1 overs.
2026 – Men’s Season Update
The Maharashtra Premier League men’s tournament was not held in 2026 as originally planned.
A May 2026 report said the fourth edition was unlikely to take place in June because of administrative issues surrounding the Maharashtra Cricket Association. The Mumbai High Court had stayed the MCA elections, and an administrator had been appointed to oversee the association.
Therefore, Eagle Nashik Titans remained the most recent men’s MPL champions after their 2025 victory.
Maharashtra Premier League Winners List
| Year | Champion | Runner-up |
| 2023 | Ratnagiri Jets | Kolhapur Tuskers |
| 2024 | Ratnagiri Jets | Eagle Nashik Titans |
| 2025 | Eagle Nashik Titans | Raigad Royals |
| 2026 | Not held | — |
The 2023 final was abandoned because of rain, while the Ratnagiri Jets won the 2024 final against the Eagle Nashik Titans and the Eagle Nashik Titans defeated the Raigad Royals in the 2025 final.
Maharashtra Premier League Teams
The modern MPL has generally operated with six men’s franchises. The six teams that competed in the 2025 season were Ratnagiri Jets, Eagle Nashik Titans, Puneri Bappa, Raigad Royals, Satara Warriors and Kolhapur Tuskers.
Ratnagiri Jets
Ratnagiri Jets were the champions of the first two modern MPL seasons. They defeated Eagle Nashik Titans in the 2024 final and became the first team to win the competition twice.
Azim Kazi was the franchise’s icon player when the league began, while the squad has also featured young Maharashtra players such as Rohit Patil and Prithviraj Shilamkar.
Eagle Nashik Titans
Eagle Nashik Titans represent Nashik and have been one of the most consistent teams in the modern MPL.
They reached the 2024 final before losing to the Ratnagiri Jets and then went one step further in 2025 by beating the Raigad Royals to win their first title.
Rahul Tripathi was the team’s icon player when the MPL returned in 2023, while Arshin Kulkarni became an important player for the franchise.
Puneri Bappa
Puneri Bappa represents Pune. The franchise had Ruturaj Gaikwad as its icon player when the modern MPL began in 2023.
The team reached the knockout stage in 2025 and finished the league phase second with 12 points.
Raigad Royals
Raigad Royals represent the Raigad region.
They reached the 2025 final after beating Puneri Bappa in Qualifier 2. They scored 190/4 in the final against the Eagle Nashik Titans but lost the match by six wickets.
Siddhesh Veer was their leading batter in the 2025 season and scored an unbeaten 99 in the final. He finished the tournament with 450 runs, according to the competition statistics.
Satara Warriors
Satara Warriors represent the Satara region and have been part of the six-team MPL structure.
The team also competed in the 2025 edition, finishing the league phase with two wins and five losses, along with three no-results.
Kolhapur Tuskers
Kolhapur Tuskers represent Kolhapur and were runners-up in the inaugural modern MPL season.
The franchise was led by Kedar Jadhav in 2023 and reached the final against Ratnagiri Jets. The match was abandoned because of rain.
The team continued to feature in later seasons and reached the 2025 playoffs before losing to the Raigad Royals in the Eliminator.
Maharashtra Premier League Format
The MPL uses a T20 format. The modern competition has generally featured six teams playing a league stage before the playoffs.
In 2025, each of the six teams was scheduled to play the other five teams twice during the league stage. The tournament then moved into the knockout phase.
The 2025 playoffs consisted of Qualifier 1, Eliminator and Qualifier 2 before the final. Eagle Nashik Titans defeated Puneri Bappa in Qualifier 1, while Raigad Royals progressed through the Eliminator and then beat Puneri Bappa in Qualifier 2 to reach the final.
The format gives teams multiple opportunities to qualify for the final while allowing the top-ranked sides to benefit from their league-stage position.
Maharashtra Premier League Auction
The MPL uses an auction system to build franchise squads. Players are selected by the franchises, while prominent players can also be assigned as icon players.
When the modern league started in 2023, players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi and Kedar Jadhav were associated with Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur respectively.
The auction has also helped emerging players from Maharashtra earn places alongside established domestic cricketers.
In 2025, 409 male cricketers entered the auction process for the MPL and 249 female cricketers were part of the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League auction.
Key Players in the Maharashtra Premier League
Arshin Kulkarni
Arshin Kulkarni played a major role in Eagle Nashik Titans’ 2025 title victory.
He scored 77 from 53 balls in the final and was named Player of the Match as Nashik chased 191 against Raigad Royals.
Siddhesh Veer
Siddhesh Veer was one of Raigad Royals’ leading batters in 2025.
He scored 450 runs during the season and finished the final unbeaten on 99 from 59 balls. His innings included 11 fours and four sixes.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the icon player for Puneri Bappa when the modern Maharashtra Premier League began in 2023. His involvement added a prominent Maharashtra domestic and international name to the competition.
Rahul Tripathi
Rahul Tripathi was the icon player for Eagle Nashik Titans in the inaugural modern MPL season. He was among the established Maharashtra players associated with the league from its beginning in 2023.
Kedar Jadhav
Kedar Jadhav was the icon player for Kolhapur Tuskers in 2023. He also captained the side during the inaugural modern MPL final.
Maharashtra Premier League 2025 Season
The 2025 MPL was the third edition of the modern competition and featured six teams.
The tournament was played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje, Pune. The season began in early June and concluded with the final on June 22.
Eagle Nashik Titans topped the league-stage table with 14 points. Puneri Bappa finished second with 12 points, while Raigad Royals finished third with 11 points.
Eagle Nashik Titans then defeated Puneri Bappa in Qualifier 1. Raigad Royals beat Kolhapur Tuskers in the Eliminator and then defeated Puneri Bappa in Qualifier 2 to set up the final against Nashik.
In the final, the Raigad Royals scored 190/4 before the Eagle Nashik Titans chased the target in 19.1 overs. Arshin Kulkarni’s 77 was the main contribution in the successful chase.
Maharashtra Premier League Venues
The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje, Pune, has been the main venue for the modern MPL.
The stadium hosted the 2023 final, the 2024 final and the complete 2025 season.
The venue is also used for international and domestic cricket and serves as the main cricket stadium operated by the Maharashtra Cricket Association.
Women’s Maharashtra Premier League
The Maharashtra Cricket Association also organises the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL).
The women’s competition was introduced in 2024 following the launch of the modern men’s MPL. The MCA described the WMPL as another platform for emerging players from Maharashtra to gain professional experience and national recognition.
The 2025 women’s competition featured four teams: Pune Warriors, Ratnagiri Jets, Solapur Smashers and Raigad Royals.
The MCA continued planning for the women’s competition in 2026, including a tender for team participation rights for the 2026-27 WMPL season.
Why the Maharashtra Premier League Matters
The Maharashtra Premier League provides a state-level platform for players who are looking to make progress in domestic cricket.
The competition brings together players from different districts and gives them the chance to play alongside established cricketers. The MCA has said that one of the main aims of the league is to help emerging players from across Maharashtra gain recognition at the national level.
The league also gives selectors another competition in which to assess players before domestic T20 tournaments such as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Maharashtra Premier League at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| League | Maharashtra Premier League |
| Short Name | MPL |
| Organiser | Maharashtra Cricket Association |
| Original Competition | 2009 |
| Modern MPL | 2023 |
| Format | T20 |
| Modern Teams | 6 |
| 2025 Champion | Eagle Nashik Titans |
| 2025 Runner-up | Raigad Royals |
| 2024 Champion | Ratnagiri Jets |
| 2023 Champion | Ratnagiri Jets |
| Main Venue | MCA International Stadium, Pune |
| 2026 Men’s Edition | Not held |
The modern Maharashtra Premier League has produced two champions so far. Ratnagiri Jets won the 2023 and 2024 editions, while Eagle Nashik Titans won the 2025 tournament. The men’s competition was not held in 2026 as originally planned.
FAQs
Q. When did the modern Maharashtra Premier League start?
A. The modern MPL started in 2023.
Q. Who won the Maharashtra Premier League in 2025?
A. The Eagle Nashik Titans won the 2025 title.
Q. Who won the first modern MPL title?
A. Ratnagiri Jets won the 2023 title.
Q. How many teams play in the MPL?
A. The modern MPL has featured six teams.
Q. Where is the Maharashtra Premier League played?
A. The main venue is the MCA International Stadium in Pune.
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