The Kerala Cricket League (KCL) is a franchise-based T20 tournament organised by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The competition was launched in 2024 to provide Kerala’s domestic cricketers with a professional T20 platform and bring more attention to cricket in the state.
The league started with six franchises and has retained the same six-team structure through the 2026 season. Matches are played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, which has become the main home of the competition.
What Is the Kerala Cricket League?
The Kerala Cricket League is Kerala’s state-level franchise T20 competition. It is run by the Kerala Cricket Association and features players from Kerala alongside established domestic cricketers.
The inaugural season was held in September 2024, with six franchises competing for the first KCL title. The tournament was created to give local players greater exposure in the shortest format while also building a stronger domestic cricket structure in the state.
The league has also attracted major names from Kerala cricket. Sanju Samson joined Kochi Blue Tigers for the 2025 season, while players such as Sachin Baby, Basil Thampi, Rohan Kunnummal and Vishnu Vinod have featured prominently across the competition.
History of the Kerala Cricket League
The Kerala Cricket League began in 2024 and has quickly established itself as an important domestic T20 tournament in the state.
2024 – Aries Kollam Sailors
Aries Kollam Sailors became the first Kerala Cricket League champions in 2024.
The Sailors defeated Calicut Globstars by six wickets in the final. Sachin Baby produced a match-winning century during the chase and finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 528 runs.
Calicut Globstars’ Akhil Scaria was the leading wicket-taker with 25 wickets. The inaugural season therefore produced strong individual performances alongside the first championship for Kollam.
2025 – Kochi Blue Tigers
Kochi Blue Tigers won the second season of the Kerala Cricket League in 2025.
Kochi topped the league stage with eight wins from 10 matches before progressing through the knockout stage. They faced defending champions Aries Kollam Sailors in the final at Greenfield International Stadium.
The 2025 season also attracted major attention because Sanju Samson joined Kochi Blue Tigers. He was the league’s most expensive signing at ₹26.8 lakh and became one of the biggest names to feature in the competition.
2026 – Thrissur Titans
Thrissur Titans won the third edition of the Kerala Cricket League in 2026.
The Titans reached their first KCL final after defeating the Trivandrum Royals by one wicket in a dramatic semifinal. Anand Joseph finished the chase with a three-ball cameo that included two sixes and a boundary.
In the final on September 5, Thrissur Titans defeated Calicut Globstars by three wickets to claim their first KCL championship.
The victory made Thrissur the third different champion in the first three seasons of the competition.
Kerala Cricket League Winners List
| Year | Champion | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Aries Kollam Sailors | Calicut Globstars |
| 2025 | Kochi Blue Tigers | Aries Kollam Sailors |
| 2026 | Thrissur Titans | Calicut Globstars |
The first three seasons have produced three different champions, with Aries Kollam Sailors winning the inaugural edition, Kochi Blue Tigers taking the 2025 title and Thrissur Titans winning in 2026.
Kerala Cricket League Teams
The Kerala Cricket League has six franchises. The same six teams competed in the 2026 season.
Aries Kollam Sailors
Aries Kollam Sailors represent Kollam and were the inaugural KCL champions. Sachin Baby has been one of the franchise’s most important players, while the team also reached the 2025 final.
Alleppey Ripples
Alleppey Ripples represent Alappuzha. Mohammed Azharuddeen was one of the team’s retained players for 2026, while Sachin Baby joined the franchise during the 2026 auction for ₹10 lakh.
Calicut Globstars
Calicut Globstars represent Kozhikode. They were runners-up in the inaugural season and returned to the final in 2026, making them one of the teams with multiple final appearances.
Rohan S. Kunnummal, Salman Nizar and Akhil Scaria were among the players retained by the franchise for the 2026 season.
Kochi Blue Tigers
Kochi Blue Tigers represent Kochi and won the 2025 KCL title. Saly Samson led the side, while Sanju Samson was the franchise’s headline signing during the second season.
The team retained Saly Samson and Mohammed Ashiq ahead of the 2026 auction and added players including Basil Thampi and K.M. Asif.
Thrissur Titans
Thrissur Titans represent Thrissur and became KCL champions in 2026. The team reached its first final after a one-wicket semifinal victory over the Trivandrum Royals.
Ahammad Imran, Shoun Roger, Aditya Vinod and A.K. Arjun were among the players retained before the 2026 auction.
Trivandrum Royals
Trivandrum Royals represent Thiruvananthapuram and were one of the original six franchises in the competition.
Krishna Prasad, Govind Dev Pai and V. Ajith were among their retained players for 2026, while the franchise also signed Vishnu Vinod and Sijomon Joseph during the auction.
Kerala Cricket League Format
The Kerala Cricket League uses a T20 format with six teams.
In the inaugural season, each team played 10 matches in a double round-robin league stage. The top four teams then advanced to the playoffs.
The same six-team structure continued in 2025 and 2026. The 2026 season featured 30 league matches followed by two semifinals and the final, making it a 33-match tournament.
The playoff structure places the second- and third-ranked teams in the first semifinal, while the league-stage winner faces the fourth-ranked team in the second semifinal.
The winners then meet in the final to decide the Kerala Cricket League champion.
Kerala Cricket League Auction
The KCL uses a player auction to build franchise squads. Teams can retain players before entering the auction and then use their available purse to sign additional players.
The 2024 inaugural auction featured 168 players competing for 120 available slots. Charu Sharma served as the auctioneer at the event in Thiruvananthapuram.
The system continued to develop in later seasons. For the 2026 auction, each franchise received a ₹50 lakh purse, with retained-player costs deducted before the auction. Squads were required to contain between 16 and 20 players.
A total of 156 players were available for the 2026 auction, with 89 players eventually receiving auction contracts after 18 players had already been retained.
Most Expensive Players in KCL 2026 Auction
The 2026 auction produced several significant deals.
Sibin Gireesh became the most expensive player, joining Alleppey Ripples for ₹11.80 lakh. Krishna Devan was bought by Calicut Globstars for ₹11.20 lakh, while Sachin Baby moved to Alleppey Ripples for ₹10 lakh.
Other major purchases included Abdul Bazith for ₹8 lakh, Vishnu Vinod for ₹7.80 lakh and Ajnas M for ₹7 lakh.
Key Players in the Kerala Cricket League
Sachin Baby
Sachin Baby was the icon player for Aries Kollam Sailors in the inaugural season and played a major role in their title victory.
He scored 528 runs in the 2024 tournament, including two centuries, and also scored a century in the final against Calicut Globstars.
Baby returned to the auction in 2026 and was signed by Alleppey Ripples for ₹10 lakh.
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson was one of the biggest names to join the KCL. He signed for Kochi Blue Tigers in 2025 for ₹26.8 lakh and was named the team’s vice-captain.
He was not retained by Kochi for the 2026 season and did not feature in the Season 3 auction.
Rohan Kunnummal
Rohan Kunnummal was selected as the icon player for Calicut Globstars ahead of the inaugural season. He continued with the franchise and was retained for the 2026 edition.
Basil Thampi
Basil Thampi has been another prominent name in the league. He was the icon player for Kochi Blue Tigers when the teams were initially announced and returned to the franchise for the 2026 season.
Kerala Cricket League 2026 Season
The third season of the Kerala Cricket League began on August 20, 2026, with six teams competing across 33 matches. All matches were played at the Sports Hub Stadium at Greenfield International Stadium in Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram. The final was scheduled for September 5.
The six teams were Alleppey Ripples, Aries Kollam Sailors, Calicut Globstars, Kochi Blue Tigers, Thrissur Titans and Trivandrum Royals.
Thrissur Titans made history by reaching their first KCL final. They defeated Trivandrum Royals by one wicket in a dramatic semifinal, with Anand Joseph hitting 6, 4 and 6 in the final over to complete the chase.
Calicut Globstars reached the other side of the final after defeating Aries Kollam Sailors by 36 runs in the second semifinal. Thrissur then defeated Calicut by three wickets in the final to win the 2026 championship.
Kerala Cricket League Venues
The Greenfield International Stadium, also known as the Sports Hub Stadium, has been the main venue for the Kerala Cricket League.
The inaugural 2024 season was played at the stadium in Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram. All six teams played their league matches there before the playoffs and final were also held at the venue.
The same venue continued to host the competition in 2025 and 2026. The 2026 season again used Greenfield International Stadium for the complete tournament.
Broadcast and Streaming
The inaugural KCL season was broadcast on Star Sports, with matches also streamed through FanCode. The opening and final matches received additional coverage on Asianet Movie.
The tournament’s growing broadcast presence has helped the league reach viewers beyond Kerala while giving local players a larger audience.
Importance of the Kerala Cricket League
The KCL gives Kerala’s domestic players an opportunity to play regular franchise T20 cricket in a competitive environment. It also creates a pathway for young players to play alongside experienced names from Kerala and Indian domestic cricket.
The first three seasons have already featured players such as Sachin Baby, Sanju Samson, Basil Thampi, Vishnu Vinod and Rohan Kunnummal, while several younger players have gained exposure through the six franchises.
The league has also created stronger regional identities, with teams representing major cricket centres such as Kochi, Kollam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala Cricket League 2026 at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| League | Kerala Cricket League |
| Short Name | KCL |
| Organiser | Kerala Cricket Association |
| First Season | 2024 |
| Format | T20 |
| 2026 Edition | Season 3 |
| Teams | 6 |
| 2026 Matches | 33 |
| 2026 Champion | Thrissur Titans |
| 2026 Runner-up | Calicut Globstars |
| 2025 Champion | Kochi Blue Tigers |
| 2024 Champion | Aries Kollam Sailors |
| Main Venue | Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram |
| 2026 Season | August 20 to September 5 |
The Kerala Cricket League has produced three different champions in its first three seasons. Aries Kollam Sailors won in 2024, Kochi Blue Tigers lifted the trophy in 2025 and Thrissur Titans became champions in 2026.
FAQs
Q. When did the Kerala Cricket League start?
A. The Kerala Cricket League started in 2024.
Q. Who won the Kerala Cricket League in 2026?
A. Thrissur Titans won the 2026 title.
Q. How many teams play in the KCL?
A. Six teams compete in the Kerala Cricket League.
Q. Who won the first KCL season?
A. Aries Kollam Sailors won the inaugural 2024 season.
Q. Where is the Kerala Cricket League played?
A. The league is played at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
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