The Andhra Premier League (APL) is a domestic T20 franchise cricket tournament organised by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA). The league was launched in 2022 and gives cricketers from Andhra Pradesh a platform to play franchise cricket and gain wider recognition.
The tournament has completed five seasons, with Coastal Riders, Rayalaseema Kings, Vizag Warriors, Tungabhadra Warriors and Bhimavaram Bulls winning the title across the first five editions. The 2026 season was won by Bhimavaram Bulls.
What Is the Andhra Premier League?
The Andhra Premier League is a T20 franchise competition based in Andhra Pradesh. It was launched by the Andhra Cricket Association in 2022 and features teams representing different regions of the state.
The league follows a franchise model, with player retention, graded player categories and an auction forming part of the team-building process. The competition is designed to give local players more opportunities to compete in a professional T20 environment.
The tournament is also known as the GMR Andhra Premier League because of its title sponsorship.
History of the Andhra Premier League
The Andhra Premier League began in 2022 with six teams. The competition later settled into a seven-team format, with seven franchises competing in the 2026 season.
2022 – Coastal Riders
Coastal Riders won the inaugural Andhra Premier League title in 2022. Their victory gave the new competition its first champion and started the league’s annual title history.
2023 – Rayalaseema Kings
Rayalaseema Kings won the second edition in 2023. They became the second different team to lift the APL trophy.
2024 – Vizag Warriors
Vizag Warriors became champions in 2024, continuing the trend of a different team winning the title in each of the league’s first three seasons.
2025 – Tungabhadra Warriors
Tungabhadra Warriors won their first APL title in 2025 after defeating Capital Amaravathi Royals by five wickets in the final.
Capital Amaravathi Royals scored 194/7, while Tungabhadra Warriors reached 195/5 in 18 overs. Gutta Rohit played a major role in the chase with 63 runs from 28 balls and was named Player of the Match.
The 2025 tournament featured seven teams and 25 matches. It was played at the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
2026 – Bhimavaram Bulls
Bhimavaram Bulls won the fifth edition of the Andhra Premier League in 2026. The official APL website lists them as the 2026 champions.
The final was played against Simhadri Vizag Lions on June 30 at the ACA International Cricket Stadium in Mangalagiri.
The 2026 edition was played across Visakhapatnam, Kadapa and Mangalagiri. The official tournament schedule lists matches from June 9 through June 30.
Andhra Premier League Winners List
| Year | Champion |
| 2022 | Coastal Riders |
| 2023 | Rayalaseema Kings |
| 2024 | Vizag Warriors |
| 2025 | Tungabhadra Warriors |
| 2026 | Bhimavaram Bulls |
The first five seasons have produced five different champions, according to the official APL website.
Andhra Premier League Teams
The 2026 Andhra Premier League featured seven teams. They represented different regions and cricketing centres across Andhra Pradesh.
Vijayawada SunShiners
Vijayawada SunShiners are one of the seven teams in the current APL setup. The team represents Vijayawada and has featured in recent editions of the competition.
Capital Amaravathi Royals
Capital Amaravathi Royals represent the Amaravati region. They reached the 2025 final and finished as runners-up after losing to Tungabhadra Warriors.
Royals of Rayalaseema
Royals of Rayalaseema represent the Rayalaseema region and are part of the seven-team APL structure used in 2026.
Tungabhadra Warriors
Tungabhadra Warriors won the 2025 APL title. They defeated Capital Amaravathi Royals by five wickets in the final and became the fourth different champion in four completed seasons at that stage.
Simhadri Vizag Lions
Simhadri Vizag Lions represent the Visakhapatnam region and were the runners-up in the 2026 season after reaching the final against Bhimavaram Bulls.
Kakinada Kings
Kakinada Kings are based around Kakinada and form part of the seven-team APL competition.
Bhimavaram Bulls
Bhimavaram Bulls represent Bhimavaram and became APL champions in 2026. They were also among the leading teams in the 2025 tournament before finishing third.
Andhra Premier League Format
The Andhra Premier League uses a franchise-based T20 format. Seven teams competed in the 2026 edition. The teams played league matches before the tournament moved into the playoff stage.
The 2025 season provides a clear example of the structure. Seven teams competed across 25 matches, with the leading sides moving into the playoffs and eventually the final.
The tournament therefore combines a league stage with knockout matches, giving teams several opportunities to qualify for the title match.
Player Auction and Team Building
The APL uses a player auction and retention system. Players are placed into graded categories, while franchises can retain players before adding more cricketers through the auction process.
This system allows teams to build squads around experienced domestic players while also giving younger Andhra cricketers opportunities to play alongside established names.
Key Players in the Andhra Premier League
Several established domestic players have featured prominently in recent APL seasons.
Hanuma Vihari has been one of the notable names in the competition. He captained Capital Amaravathi Royals in 2025 and was named Player of the Season despite the team finishing as runners-up.
Ashwin Hebbar also had an important 2025 season. He won the Orange Cap after scoring 315 runs, while Satyanarayana Raju finished as the leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets.
Gutta Rohit was another major performer in 2025. He scored 63 from 28 balls in the final and helped Tungabhadra Warriors chase down the target in 18 overs.
The 2026 season also produced major individual performances. The official APL website highlighted Ashwin Hebbar’s 130 against Kakinada Kings and Hemanth Reddy’s 18-ball fifty in the final.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Season
The 2026 season was the fifth edition of the Andhra Premier League. Seven teams participated, with the competition spread across three venues in Andhra Pradesh.
The tournament opened in Visakhapatnam before moving to Kadapa and then Mangalagiri. The official match centre lists the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium, Y.S. Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium and ACA International Cricket Stadium as the venues used during the season.
Bhimavaram Bulls finished the season as champions, while Simhadri Vizag Lions were their opponents in the final at Mangalagiri on June 30.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Teams
| Team | 2026 Status |
| Bhimavaram Bulls | Champions |
| Simhadri Vizag Lions | Runners-up |
| Capital Amaravathi Royals | Playoff team |
| Vijayawada SunShiners | League team |
| Kakinada Kings | League team |
| Royals of Rayalaseema | League team |
| Tungabhadra Warriors | League team |
The official 2026 points table shows Capital Amaravathi Royals finishing first in the league stage with 12 points, followed by Bhimavaram Bulls and Simhadri Vizag Lions with 10 points each.
Andhra Premier League Venues
The APL has used several cricket grounds in Andhra Pradesh. The ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam has hosted a number of league matches and was the venue for the 2025 final.
The 2026 season expanded the competition to three venues:
- ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
- Y.S. Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium, Kadapa
- ACA International Cricket Stadium, Mangalagiri
The official match centre confirms that the tournament moved from Visakhapatnam to Kadapa before the final phase in Mangalagiri.
Why the Andhra Premier League Matters
The Andhra Premier League gives players from Andhra Pradesh a regular franchise T20 competition within the state. The ACA describes the tournament as a platform for young and aspiring cricketers to gain exposure and move toward higher levels of the game.
The league also allows players to compete with experienced domestic cricketers, while the franchise structure creates stronger regional identities around the teams.
The growth in venues and the continuation of the seven-team format have also helped the tournament reach different cricketing centres across Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Premier League 2026 at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| League | Andhra Premier League |
| Short Name | APL |
| Organiser | Andhra Cricket Association |
| First Season | 2022 |
| Format | T20 |
| 2026 Edition | 5th season |
| 2026 Teams | 7 |
| 2026 Champion | Bhimavaram Bulls |
| 2026 Runners-up | Simhadri Vizag Lions |
| 2025 Champion | Tungabhadra Warriors |
| 2025 Runners-up | Capital Amaravathi Royals |
| Main Venues in 2026 | Visakhapatnam, Kadapa, Mangalagiri |
The Andhra Premier League has produced a different champion in each of its first five seasons, with Coastal Riders winning in 2022, Rayalaseema Kings in 2023, Vizag Warriors in 2024, Tungabhadra Warriors in 2025 and Bhimavaram Bulls in 2026.
FAQs
Q. When did the Andhra Premier League start?
A. The Andhra Premier League started in 2022.
Q. Who won the Andhra Premier League in 2026?
A. Bhimavaram Bulls won the 2026 title.
Q. How many teams played in APL 2026?
A. Seven teams played in the 2026 season.
Q. Who won the 2025 Andhra Premier League?
A. Tungabhadra Warriors won the 2025 title.
Q. Who organises the Andhra Premier League?
A. The Andhra Cricket Association organises the league.
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