The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 recasts Punjab’s home tournament as a city-franchise competition, and the six squads are now locked in after the August 9 auction. The event ran in earlier seasons as the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup, but for the first time each team blends a marquee India star with icon players and a deep pool of domestic and age-group talent from across the state.
India captain Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Gurnoor Brar, and Ramandeep Singh headline the six franchises. Around them sit uncapped hopefuls chasing a breakout season on home soil at the PCA’s Mullanpur ground.
In this article, we cover every squad, the auction rules, team identities, and the format.
When Does the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 Take Place?
The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League runs from August 30 to September 13, 2026, with six teams playing 27 matches and two games staged each day, one of them under floodlights. The Punjab Cricket Association organises the event, which returns in a franchise, city-team format after earlier editions ran as the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup.
All matches are set at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, with free entry for spectators. The squads were finalised at the auction held on August 9 in Chandigarh, where each franchise built its roster ahead of the season. More than 450 Punjab players entered the pool, underlining how far the tournament has grown since its earlier Cup format.
Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 Squad Structure & Auction Categories
Each franchise entered the auction with a Rs 45 lakh salary purse and had to sign one marquee India player plus at least two icon players, filling out a squad of 16 to 20.
Player prices ranged across fixed marquee fees and tiered base prices, as the table sets out.
| Category | Rule / Base Price |
|---|---|
| Salary purse per franchise | Rs 45 lakh |
| Marquee player (India stars) | Rs 10 lakh (fixed) |
| Icon player | Rs 1.50 lakh base |
| Punjab first-class player | Rs 1 lakh base |
| Under-23 player | Rs 75,000 base |
| Under-19 player | Rs 50,000 base |
| District player | Rs 20,000 base |
| Squad size | 16 to 20 players |
| Mandatory signings | 1 marquee + at least 2 icon players |
The Six-Franchise Identity Checklist
Six teams represent Amritsar, Bathinda, Fazilka, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Mohali, each carrying a marquee India name from Punjab. Official captains have not been confirmed yet, so the checklist lists each side’s marquee player and headline auction story.
Use this table as a quick reference for team identities and short codes before the full squad breakdowns that follow.
| Team | Short Code | Marquee Player | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fazilka Falcons | FAL | Shubman Gill | Landed the auction’s top buy, Sanvir Singh (Rs 13.20 lakh) |
| Amritsar Soormas | SOO | Abhishek Sharma | Hometown star; secured Naman Dhir for Rs 10.80 lakh |
| Bathinda Royals | ROY | Gurnoor Brar | Signed Harnoor Singh and Ashwani Kumar for Rs 7 lakh each |
| Jalandhar Warriors | WAR | Prabhsimran Singh | Picked Sukhdeep Bajwa for Rs 6 lakh |
| Ludhiana Lions | LIO | Arshdeep Singh | Pace-led squad built around the India left-armer |
| Mohali Kings | KIN | Ramandeep Singh | Added Amolpreet Singh for Rs 8.20 lakh |
1. Fazilka Falcons (FAL)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Shubman Gill |
| Auction Squad | Vihaan Malhotra, Sanvir Singh, Prerit Dutta, Raghu Sharma, Anmoljeet Singh, Jasan Jindal, Eish Rao, Garv Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Lakshay Kansal, Karanveer Singh, Navpreet Singh, Anshul Chaudhary, Jaiveer Bhinder, Ayushmaan Ayushmaan, Pranshu Pratap, Kirandeep Singh, Aarush Latta, Immanuel Deveser |
The Falcons anchor their campaign around India captain Shubman Gill, a top-order batter, and spent big at the auction to land all-rounder Sanvir Singh for a tournament-high Rs 13.20 lakh.
With Gill only expected to join once national duty in Sri Lanka wraps up, the Falcons will lean on their auction buys early. Sanvir Singh’s price tag marks him as a player to watch, and the squad mixes experience with several uncapped Punjab names hoping to impress.
2. Amritsar Soormas (SOO)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Abhishek Sharma |
| Auction Squad | Mayank Markande, Naman Dhir, Rahul Kumar, Sahil Khan, Jashanpreet Singh, Dhruv Rahul Jindal, Reavan Preet Singh, Prabhjit Singh, Ishan Sood, Adhiraj Singh Mangat, Abhay Choudhary, Dhrub Bhagania, Shubham Rana, Sahaj Dhawan, Ishmeet Singh Sandhu, Navneet Virk, Akash Pandey, Vaibhav Kalra, Jaipartap Singh Johal |
The Soormas are built around hometown opener Abhishek Sharma, an explosive top-order batter, alongside experienced leg-spinner Mayank Markande.
Naman Dhir, picked up for Rs 10.80 lakh, gives Amritsar a proven finishing option to pair with Sharma at the top. Markande adds a wicket-taking spin threat, and the rest of the group leans on Punjab’s domestic circuit for depth.
3. Bathinda Royals (ROY)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Gurnoor Brar |
| Auction Squad | Harnoor Singh, Ashwani Kumar, Uday Saharan, Gourav Choudhary, Sumit Sharma, Dev Amritpal Singh, Ridham Satyawan, Ashish Lowrance, Jatin Sahota, Abir Kohli, Rishabh Gupta, Noorveer Singh, Tavleen Singh, Shahbaz Singh Sandhu, Simranjeet Singh Gharu, Imrozpreet Singh, Harshit Parashar, Lovepreet Kamboj |
The Royals are led on paper by India pacer Gurnoor Brar and were aggressive at the auction, signing Harnoor Singh and Ashwani Kumar for Rs 7 lakh apiece.
Uday Saharan, a former India Under-19 captain, adds recognisable batting pedigree to the group, while Harnoor Singh and Ashwani Kumar were among the more sought-after buys. Bathinda’s balance of youth and pace could make them a lively watch in the opening edition.
4. Jalandhar Warriors (WAR)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Prabhsimran Singh |
| Auction Squad | Emanjot Singh Chahal, Vishwa Pratap Singh, Abhinav Sharma, Sukhdeep Bajwa, Anmol Malhotra, Mayank Gupta, Yash Karan, Harjas Singh Tandon, Aryan Yadav, Shaanvir Kalsi, Paras Jaidka, Umesh Gill, Randeep Singh, Jaskirat Singh, Deepinder Cheema, Arpan Walia, Gurvinder Singh Bhullar, Subinay Mahajan, Gourav Markan |
The Warriors build around India wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh and added Sukhdeep Bajwa for Rs 6 lakh at the auction.
Prabhsimran gives Jalandhar a dynamic keeper-opener capable of setting the tone up front. The supporting cast draws heavily on Punjab’s emerging talent, with Sukhdeep Bajwa among the notable signings expected to shoulder responsibility across the season.
5. Ludhiana Lions (LIO)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Arshdeep Singh |
| Auction Squad | Krish Bhagat, Salil Arora, Jass Inder, Abhijet Garg, Arjun Rajput, Yuvi Goyal, Kartik Chadha, Taranveer Singh Randhawa, Havneet Singh, Rajvir Jaswal, Harish Kumar, Bikramjeet Singh, Madhav Singh Pathania, Karteek Sharma, Lovedeep Singh Kharod, Lovekirat Singh, Aseem Kohli, Gurman Singh, Sahil Bhaskar |
The Lions are headlined by India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, giving them a genuine strike option with the new ball and at the death.
Arshdeep’s international experience makes Ludhiana a bowling-first outfit on paper, and much of the squad’s success may hinge on how quickly its younger batters adapt. The Lions have leaned into local depth, giving several Punjab hopefuls a platform alongside their marquee man.
6. Mohali Kings (KIN)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Marquee Player | Ramandeep Singh |
| Auction Squad | Anmolpreet Singh, Harpreet Brar, Ayush Goyal, Sagar Virk, Jaskaranvir Singh Paul, Yuvraj Maan, Harshdeep Singh, Aalam Bakshi, Tanmay Dharni, Saksheya, Aryan Bhatia, Lovedeep Chatha, Gurmehar Sra, Sohraab Dhaliwal, Karan Choudhary, Tejpreet Singh, Nipun Pandita, Manpreet Johal, Rajinder Singh Devgan |
The Kings are marshalled by all-rounder Ramandeep Singh and strengthened their middle order by signing Amolpreet Singh for Rs 8.20 lakh, with all-rounder Harpreet Brar also in the ranks.
With Ramandeep and Harpreet Brar, Mohali carry two seam-bowling all-rounders who can influence a game with both bat and ball. Amolpreet Singh brings first-class run-scoring to the middle order, giving the Kings a settled spine around which their youngsters can play freely.
Tournament Format & Playoff Architecture
The 2026 season pairs a round-robin league phase with a knockout finish, all inside a compact fortnight at a single venue. The structure breaks down as follows:
- Six franchises play a round-robin league stage, with two matches held daily and one under floodlights.
- League standings decide which teams advance to the knockout stage.
- The top-placed sides progress to the knockouts, with the exact bracket to be confirmed by the PCA.
- The knockout winners meet in the final to crown the first Sher-e-Punjab T20 League champion.
Rising Stars to Watch
Beyond the marquee India names, the auction pool was built to surface Punjab’s next generation, and a few names already stand out. Uday Saharan, the former India Under-19 captain now with Bathinda, and top buy Sanvir Singh at Fazilka carry expectation into the season.
Naman Dhir and Amolpreet Singh, both drawing strong bids, headline the domestic performers who could translate franchise form into wider recognition. With free entry pulling local crowds and marquee stars sharing dressing rooms with uncapped players, the league is squarely aimed at giving these hopefuls a stage.
Conclusion: Six Squads Set for Punjab’s First T20 League
The Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026 arrives with its six squads finalised, from Shubman Gill’s Fazilka Falcons to Ramandeep Singh’s Mohali Kings, each built on a marquee India name and a base of Punjab talent. The August 9 auction gave every franchise a clear identity ahead of the opener.
Official captaincy calls and the detailed fixture list are the main pieces still to come from the PCA. Once confirmed, fans will know exactly who leads each side and when the marquee match-ups land.
For now, the rosters are locked and the stage is set for the first franchise-based Sher-e-Punjab season to give the state’s emerging cricketers a genuine platform.