The 2026-27 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's premier domestic men's T20 tournament, is set to begin on Saturday, November 14.
A total of 38 teams will compete for the title, with the tournament scheduled to run until December 6.
The competition will feature 32 teams in the Elite division and six teams in the Plate division. The Elite teams have been divided into four groups of eight, while the Plate competition will feature six teams.
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Defending champions Jharkhand will return to the tournament after winning their maiden title last season.
Led by Ishan Kishan, Jharkhand defeated Haryana by 69 runs in the 2025-26 final at the MCA Stadium in Pune. Kishan scored 101 off 49 balls in the title clash after which he got his Indian team call up again.
The new season will also feature several prominent Indian players, including T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, who will lead Mumbai.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, will captain Bihar for the first two matches and is set to become the youngest player to lead a team in T20 cricket.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026: Date
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 will begin on Saturday, November 14, with the tournament final scheduled for Sunday, December 6.
The Plate competition will run alongside the Elite league, with its final scheduled for November 24.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026: Format
A total of 38 teams will participate in the tournament. The 32 Elite teams have been divided into four groups of eight teams each.
The top two teams from each Elite group will qualify for the Super League stage. The eight teams will then be divided into two groups of four, with the top team from each group advancing to the final.
The six teams in the Plate division will compete in a separate group stage, with the top two teams qualifying for the Plate final.
Where To Watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026 Live Telecast?
Selected matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network in India.
However, not every match of the tournament will be available on television.
Where To Watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026 Live Streaming?
Selected matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27 will be available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
Viewers should check the platform's match schedule for details of the fixtures available for streaming, as not all matches will be covered.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026: Defending Champions
Jharkhand are the defending champions of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. They won their maiden title in the 2025-26 season after defeating Haryana by 69 runs in the final.
Ishan Kishan was the standout performer in the final, scoring 101 off 49 deliveries as Jharkhand posted 262/3. Anukul Roy was named Player of the Tournament.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026: Players To Watch
Several prominent names will feature in the tournament this season.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead Mumbai, with Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur and Sarfaraz Khan also part of the squad. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will captain Bihar for their first two matches, while Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar have been named in Bengal's squad.
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Bhuvneshwar Kumar will represent Uttar Pradesh, while Sanju Samson will lead Kerala. Prithvi Shaw and Ruturaj Gaikwad are part of Maharashtra's squad, with Gaikwad set to join the team after completing his international commitments.
Defending champions Jharkhand will be led by Anukul Roy, with Ishan Kishan away on international duty.
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