Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Season 5 opens June 20 with Blasters vs Mystics
Synopsis
Karnataka's premier T20 league returns bigger — six franchises, three host cities, and two debutants in Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas. The Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Season 5 opens June 20 with Bengaluru Blasters vs Gulbarga Mystics, with 34 matches running till the July 12 Final in Bengaluru.
Key Takeaways
Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Season 5 begins on 20 June with Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Gulbarga Mystics .
The opening-day double-header will see Mysore Warriors face debutants Shivamogga Yodhas .
Matches will be staged across Mysuru , Hubballi , and Bengaluru , with the Final on 12 July .
Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas are the two new franchises this season.
The player auction is on 5 June in Bengaluru, with over 150 players in the pool, streamed on Sony Ten 5 .
The fifth edition of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 will get underway on 20 June, with Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters taking on Gulbarga Mystics in the opener, followed by Mysore Warriors facing debutants Shivamogga Yodhas in the second match of the opening-day double-header. The tournament will be staged across three centres — Mysuru, Hubballi, and Bengaluru — and conclude on 12 July.
Three-city format returns
In line with the Karnataka State Cricket Association's push to take top-flight cricket beyond the state capital, the Mysuru leg will run from 20 to 26 June, before the action shifts to Hubballi from 27 June to 3 July. The tournament will then move to Bengaluru from 5 to 12 July.
Mysuru and Hubballi will host 12 matches each, while Bengaluru will stage 10 matches, including Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final, as six franchises battle for the title.
New franchises join the fray
Coastal Kings Mangaluru, also a new entrant this season, will make their tournament debut against Hubli Tigers on 21 June. The addition of Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas expands the league to six franchises and broadens its geographic footprint within Karnataka.
Player auction on June 5
The Season 5 player auction will be held on 5 June in Bengaluru, with more than 150 players set to go under the hammer as franchises finalise their squads. The auction will be streamed live between 9 am and 1 pm IST on Sony Ten 5 HD/SD.
What the organisers said
Speaking on the schedule announcement, M.S. Keshava, Governing Council Chairman of the Maharaja Trophy, said, 'We are delighted to unveil the schedule for the fifth edition of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20. One of our key objectives has been to take top-quality cricket to fans across Karnataka, and hosting matches in Mysuru, Hubballi, and Bengaluru allows us to do exactly that.'
'We are particularly pleased to see the tournament return to multiple centres, while the addition of Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas marks an exciting new chapter for the competition. We look forward to another highly competitive season and a wonderful experience for players and fans alike,' he added.
With the auction days away and the first ball less than three weeks out, focus now shifts to how the two debutants assemble their squads against established sides.
Point of View
Mirroring what the TNPL has done for Tamil Nadu. The real test, however, is whether expansion dilutes the talent pool or deepens it; six franchises chasing 150-plus auction names will reveal how much domestic depth Karnataka can actually field. Sustained scheduling discipline and broadcast reach will determine whether Season 5 builds on momentum or merely repeats it.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025 start?
The fifth edition of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 begins on 20 June 2025, with Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters taking on Gulbarga Mystics in the opener. The tournament concludes with the Final on 12 July in Bengaluru.
Which cities will host the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Season 5?
Matches will be played across three centres — Mysuru (20-26 June), Hubballi (27 June to 3 July), and Bengaluru (5-12 July). Mysuru and Hubballi will host 12 matches each, while Bengaluru will stage 10, including all playoffs and the Final.
Which are the new franchises in Season 5?
Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas are the two new franchises joining the league this season. Coastal Kings will debut against Hubli Tigers on 21 June, while Shivamogga Yodhas play their first match against Mysore Warriors on the opening day.
When is the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 player auction?
The Season 5 player auction will be held on 5 June in Bengaluru, with more than 150 players going under the hammer. It will be streamed live from 9 am to 1 pm IST on Sony Ten 5 HD/SD.
How many teams are playing in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2025?
Six franchises will compete in Season 5 — Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters, Gulbarga Mystics, Mysore Warriors, Hubli Tigers, and new entrants Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas.
