Jabalpur Royal Lions announce balanced squad for Madhya Pradesh League T20 Scindia Cup 2026
Jabalpur, June 1
Jabalpur Royal Lions have announced the squad for the Madhya Pradesh League T20 Scindia Cup 2026.
The squad includes experienced campaigners like Punit Datey, along with prominent players such as Ajay Rohera and Mihir Hirwani, adding quality and depth to the side.
Aayush Lalwani of Jabalpur Royal Lions, which is owned by Econexis Sports, put his weight behind the squad and said, "We will have a fearless approach this season as we have built a squad with a great mix of experienced players and talented youngsters who are eager to prove themselves. The energy within the group has been very positive from the start, and the players are excited to play fearless and competitive cricket this season. The MPL has become a wonderful platform for cricketers to showcase their potential, grow in confidence and create opportunities for themselves at a higher level."
Jabalpur Royal Lions will start the campaign against Indore Pink Panthers on June 6 in the evening match of the day at Holkar Stadium, according to a press release.
The new season of the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup is all set to kickstart on June 3, with Gwalior Cheetahs locking horns with Ujjain Falcons in the opening match of the men's tournament. The match will be played at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
MPL 2026 will be the biggest edition of the tournament so far, featuring an expanded format with 10 men's teams and five women's franchises.
Three new franchises have been added to the men's competition with Malwa Stallions, Ujjain Falcons, and Royal Nimar Eagles joining defending champions Bhopal Leopards, along with Bundelkhand Bulls, Chambal Ghariyals, Gwalior Cheetahs, Indore Pink Panthers, Jabalpur Royal Lions, and Rewa Jaguars.
The women's competition has also grown with the inclusion of Gwalior Shernis and Royal Nimar Eagles. They will compete alongside Bhopal Wolves, Bundelkhand Bulls, and Chambal Ghariyals in the five-team tournament.
Jabalpur Royal Lions Squad: Aayam Sardana, Abhishek Bhandari, Ajay Rohera, Akarsh Singh Parihar, Akshat Dwivedi, Akshay Sharma, Arpit Gaud, Mihir Hirwani, Nayan Raj Mewada, Pankaj Patel, Prince Wadhwani, Punit Datey, Rahul Batham, Ritik Tada, Ritwik Diwan, Sanjog Nijjar, Vedant Awasthi.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, more excited about the women's competition this time! Gwalior Shernis and Royal Nimar Eagles joining - finally some real investment in women's cricket in MP. Hope the matches get good coverage. 👏
The squad selection seems a bit conservative tbh. Too many experienced players, not enough raw talent from local Jabalpur clubs. Hope they give chances to academy players in later matches. Still, good to see MPL growing!
As someone who follows Indian domestic cricket closely, MPL is becoming a genuine feeder for the IPL. The Scindia Cup branding is smart - ties history with modern T20. Jabalpur's balance looks decent but their bowling might be a concern. Will be watching closely!
Finally! State leagues getting the attention they deserve. This is how we produce next-gen stars for Team India. Happy to see Mihir Hirwani in the squad - hope he builds on his family legacy. All the best to Royal Lions! 💪🇮🇳
Good squad but I think they missed a trick by not picking more local Jabalpur players. The whole point of MPL should be to give platform to district-level talent, not just recycled players from other state leagues. Hope I'm proved wrong!
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