Andhra Premier League 2026 to feature seven teams and 558 players

Andhra Premier League 2026 will feature seven teams and 558 players, with an increased auction purse. Matches will be held in Mangalagiri, Kadapa and Visakhapatnam, providing a platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent

Hyderabad: Andhra Premier League (APL) 2026 is set to usher in another exciting season of competitive cricket, featuring top emerging talent from across Andhra Pradesh and offering a strong platform for young cricketers to showcase their skills.

Speaking on the occasion, Sujay Krishna Rangarao, Chairman, Governing Council, APL, said, “APL 2026 marks another important step in our commitment to strengthening the cricketing ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh. With a larger auction purse, a strong pool of registered players and matches across key venues, we are confident that this season will not only deliver high-quality cricket but also create greater opportunities for young talent to emerge and perform on a bigger stage.”

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The league matches will be held across three venues — Mangalagiri, Kadapa and Visakhapatnam — underlining the tournament’s growing footprint and its commitment to taking quality cricket to fans across the state.

APL 2026 will feature seven teams, with the auction purse for each franchise increased from Rs 45 lakh to Rs 55 lakh per team. The player auction is scheduled to be held on April 26, 2026, at Radisson Blu Resort, Visakhapatnam. A total of 558 players have registered for the auction, while 33 players have already been retained by the franchises ahead of the upcoming season. The auction proceedings will be conducted by Mr Navneeth Krishna.

Among the registered players, Thaman Kotagiri, born on 11-01-2011, is the youngest participant in the auction pool, reflecting the league’s role in identifying and encouraging young cricketing talent from Andhra Pradesh.

The retained players announced by the seven franchises are:

Simhadri Vizag Lions – Ricky Bhui, Marthala Dhanush, K Haneesh Veera Reddy, Shaik Mohammad Kamil and Roshan Pavan Kumar;
Kakinada Kings – Pinninti Tapaswi, Golamaru Manish, Mitta Lekhaz, KP Sai Rahul and Anjaneyulu Midde;
Capital Amaravati Royals – Karan Shinde, Bandaru Ayyappa, Yara Sandeep, S V Rahul and SDNV Prasad;
Vijayawada Sunshiners – Ashwin Hebbar, G Sai Venkata Sumith, Zaheer Abbas, M Abhinav and A Lalith Mohan;
Bhimavaram Bulls – Hemanth Reddy, Revanth Reddy, T V Sai Sravan, Munish Varma and Satyanarayana Raju;
Tungabhadra Warriors – CR Gnaneshwar, M Deepak, MK Datta Reddy, Gutta Rohit and Saurabh Kumar;
Royals of Rayalaseema – SK Rasheed, J Saketh Ram and S Dhruva Kumar Reddy.