Season 2 of the Vidarbha Premier League arrives with a new franchise, a parallel women’s competition, and a defending champion already on the back foot after losing the opening game.
That’s a better setup than most state leagues manage.
The Vidarbha Premier League 2026 schedule runs across 14 days — 1 June to 14 June — with all men’s matches at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha and the women’s games at VCA Civil Lines Stadium, both in Nagpur.
Twenty-five T20 matches in total, live on Sony TEN 5 and JioHotstar.
Vidarbha Premier League 2026
Here’s the full picture.
What’s New in VPL 2026
Before the schedule, it helps to know what changed from last year.
The biggest addition is India Warriors, a sixth franchise that replaces the Nagpur Titans from the 2025 edition.
Their captain hasn’t been confirmed yet, which makes them the wildcard of the tournament.
The format has also expanded. Season 1 ran a simpler round-robin; Season 2 adds a Super League phase between the league stage and playoffs, pushing the total to 25 matches.
And the women’s tournament — new this season — runs alongside the men’s competition from 7 June onwards.
VPL 2026 Key Information
| Details | Info |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Vidarbha Premier League 2026 (Season 2) |
| Dates | 1 June – 14 June 2026 |
| Opener | NECO Master Blaster vs Pagariya Strikers, 1 Jun, 7:30 PM IST |
| Final | Sunday, 14 June 2026, 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue (Men’s) | VCA Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur |
| Venue (Women’s) | VCA Civil Lines Stadium, Nagpur |
| Total Matches | 25 (21 league + 4 playoffs) |
| Broadcast | Sony Sports Network (Sony TEN 5) |
| Streaming | JioHotstar |
| Mascot | Waghoba (the Vidarbha tiger) |
| Defending Champion | NECO Master Blaster |
VPL 2026 Full Schedule — All 21 League Matches
| Match No. | Date | Time | Fixture | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon, Jun 1 | 7:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Pagariya Strikers | Pagariya Strikers won by 5 wkts |
| 2 | Tue, Jun 2 | 2:30 PM | India Warriors vs Nagpur Heroz | India Warriors won by 33 runs |
| 3 | Tue, Jun 2 | 7:30 PM | Bharat Rangers vs Orange Tigers | Bharat Rangers won by 6 wkts |
| 4 | Wed, Jun 3 | 2:30 PM | Pagariya Strikers vs India Warriors | Pagariya Strikers won by 3 wkts |
| 5 | Wed, Jun 3 | 7:30 PM | Orange Tigers vs Nagpur Heroz | Nagpur Heroz won by 10 runs |
| 6 | Thu, Jun 4 | 2:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Bharat Rangers | TBD |
| 7 | Thu, Jun 4 | 7:30 PM | Pagariya Strikers vs Nagpur Heroz | TBD |
| 8 | Fri, Jun 5 | 2:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Orange Tigers | TBD |
| 9 | Fri, Jun 5 | 7:30 PM | Bharat Rangers vs India Warriors | TBD |
| 10 | Sat, Jun 6 | 2:30 PM | Pagariya Strikers vs Orange Tigers | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Jun 6 | 7:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs India Warriors | TBD |
| 12 | Sun, Jun 7 | 2:30 PM | Bharat Rangers vs Nagpur Heroz | TBD |
| 13 | Sun, Jun 7 | 7:30 PM | Orange Tigers vs India Warriors | TBD |
| 14 | Mon, Jun 8 | 2:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Nagpur Heroz | TBD |
| 15 | Mon, Jun 8 | 7:30 PM | Pagariya Strikers vs Bharat Rangers | TBD |
| 16 | Tue, Jun 9 | 2:30 PM | Orange Tigers vs Nagpur Heroz | TBD |
| 17 | Tue, Jun 9 | 7:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Pagariya Strikers | TBD |
| 18 | Wed, Jun 10 | 2:30 PM | Bharat Rangers vs India Warriors | TBD |
| 19 | Wed, Jun 10 | 7:30 PM | NECO Master Blaster vs Orange Tigers | TBD |
| 20 | Thu, Jun 11 | 2:30 PM | Pagariya Strikers vs India Warriors | TBD |
| 21 | Thu, Jun 11 | 7:30 PM | Bharat Rangers vs Nagpur Heroz | TBD |
VPL 2026 Playoffs Schedule
| Stage | Date | Time | Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliminator | Fri, Jun 12 | 2:30 PM | 3rd place vs 4th place |
| Qualifier 1 | Fri, Jun 12 | 7:30 PM | 1st place vs 2nd place |
| Qualifier 2 | Sat, Jun 13 | 7:30 PM | Winner Eliminator vs Loser Q1 |
| Final | Sun, Jun 14 | 7:30 PM | Winner Q1 vs Winner Q2 |
VPL 2026 Teams, Captains, and Squads
Six franchises compete for the Season 2 title. India Warriors are the new side, with their captain yet to be announced. The other five teams are led by established names from Vidarbha’s domestic circuit.
| Team | Captain | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| NECO Master Blaster | Jitesh Sharma | Defending champions; India T20I keeper-batter and RCB stalwart |
| Pagariya Strikers | Yash Kadam | 2025 finalists; already 2-0 to start Season 2 |
| Bharat Rangers | Atharva Taide | Home to Danish Malewar, who topped 2025 run charts |
| Orange Tigers | Darshan Nalkande | Pace-heavy side built around Vidarbha’s seam attack |
| Nagpur Heroz | Mandar Mahale | Anchored by India internationals Umesh Yadav and Yash Thakur |
| India Warriors | TBA | New franchise; won their first game against Nagpur Heroz |
Pagariya Strikers are the early form side — two wins from two, including beating the champions in the opener. India Warriors also announced themselves with a 33-run win in Match 2.
Players Worth Watching This Season
The VPL squad pool covers India caps, IPL regulars, and Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy core. A few names stand out.
- Jitesh Sharma captains NECO and is the tournament’s highest-profile player — the India T20I keeper-batter and RCB regular who will want to lead from the front after last season’s title.
- Umesh Yadav brings genuine India-level pace to Nagpur Heroz. He’s the headline act in a bowling lineup that also includes LSG pacer, Yash Thakur.
- Atharva Taide of Bharat Rangers is one to watch with the bat. The PBKS batter and Vidarbha’s Ranji mainstay have the game to put up big scores on Jamtha’s true surface.
- Danish Malewar (Bharat Rangers) and Lalit Yadav (Pagariya Strikers) were the standout performers in 2025 — 120 runs and 13 wickets respectively — and both return this season.
- Karun Nair adds an India returnee angle to the mix, while Harsh Dubey’s left-arm spin will be worth tracking in the evening games when the pitch slows.
VPL 2026 Venues: Jamtha and Civil Lines
VCA Stadium, Jamtha — Men’s Tournament
Every men’s match is at VCA Jamtha. It has hosted Test cricket and IPL games, so the infrastructure and pitch quality are proper.
Expect true, even bounce and scoring that rewards clean striking — the opener confirmed it, with 442 runs across 38.5 overs. Evening dew matters here, so chasing sides tend to have an edge in the second half of the tournament.
VCA Civil Lines Stadium — Women’s Tournament
The women’s competition, new to Season 2, plays out at VCA Civil Lines from 7 June. It’s a compact ground with a strong domestic cricket history in Nagpur.
How to Watch VPL 2026 Live?
- TV: Sony TEN 5 (Sony Sports Network) carries every match.
- Streaming: JioHotstar is the official digital platform for live streaming across mobile and connected TV.
Commentary features former India internationals. No geo-restrictions mentioned for domestic viewers — straightforward access for fans across India.
The Title Defence Story
NECO Master Blaster won the inaugural VPL by seven wickets, chasing down Pagariya Strikers in the final.
Season 2 has already thrown a spanner in — Pagariya exacted early revenge in Match 1, chasing 220 to win by five wickets.
It sets up a genuine title rivalry between the two sides. If they meet again in the final, the storyline writes itself.
FAQs
- Is there a women’s competition in VPL 2026?
Yes. The VPL 2026 women’s tournament is new to Season 2 and is played at VCA Civil Lines Stadium, Nagpur, starting 7 June.
- Which team won the first VPL in 2025?
NECO Master Blaster won Season 1, beating Pagariya Strikers by seven wickets in the final.
- Who is the mascot of VPL 2026?
Waghoba, the Vidarbha tiger, is the official mascot of the Vidarbha Premier League.
- What is the VPL 2026 format — how do teams qualify for playoffs?
Four teams qualify from the combined league and Super League stage. The Eliminator, Qualifier 1, and Qualifier 2 then narrow it down to two finalists.
- Which new team has been added to VPL Season 2?
India Warriors replace the Nagpur Titans from the 2025 edition. They won their first game of the season against Nagpur Heroz by 33 runs.
- How many matches does each team play in the league stage?
Each team plays five league games (once against every other team), then two additional Super League matches, before the playoffs begin.
Conclusion:
Fourteen days, six teams, 25 matches — the Vidarbha Premier League 2026 is a well-structured tournament with real stakes and enough quality to follow closely.
The early results suggest Pagariya Strikers and India Warriors mean business, while the defending champions still have plenty of games to find rhythm.
The 12–14 June playoff weekend is the one to clear your diary for. Until then, there’s a doubleheader almost every day.
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