By S.N. Venkatnag Sobers
Season 5 of the Maharaja Trophy Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) T20 is here, and so are the Mysore Warriors, champions of the 2024 season, who will be aiming to reclaim the coveted trophy.
Owned by Mysuru-based NR Group, the franchise has become synonymous with the city and its cricketing culture over the years.
The previous season saw established stars such as Karun Nair, Manish Pandey and Prasidh Krishna don the Mysore Warriors jersey. However, the 2026 season will see several young faces joining the squad for the first time.
This year, Mysore Warriors fans will witness a blend of experience and youth. IPL players Devdutt Padikkal, Vyshak Vijaykumar and Manoj Bhandage will add strength to the side along with K.P. Karthikeya. Joining them are L.R. Chethan, S.U. Karthik, Gowtham Sagar and Deepak Devadiga, all of whom have represented Mysore Warriors in previous editions.
The team will be led by Vyshak Vijaykumar, who has spearheaded Karnataka’s pace attack alongside Prasidh Krishna. Devdutt Padikkal is expected to join the squad for the final leg in Bengaluru.
Behind the scenes, the coaching staff continue to be a pillar of strength. Head Coach Rx. Murali, currently batting coach of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women’s team and Assistant Coach Vijay Madyalkar, a former Karnataka Ranji cricketer, have played key roles in shaping the franchise since its inception.
Further strengthening the support staff is Aditya B. Sagar, another former Karnataka Ranji cricketer, who joined as bowling coach in 2023. Aditya had earlier represented Mysore Warriors in 2014 and subsequent seasons.
Earlier this month, the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Season 5 Player Auction saw the six franchises — Bengaluru Blasters, Mysore Warriors, Hubli Tigers, Gulbarga Mystics, Shivamogga Yodhas and Coastal Kings Mangaluru — finalise their squads for the upcoming season.
The tournament will be played across Mysuru, Hubballi and Bengaluru from June 20 to July 12. Mysuru will host 12 matches from June 20 to 25, before the action moves to Hubballi for another 12 matches from June 27 to July 3. Bengaluru will then stage 10 matches from July 5 to 12, including Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final.
CATCH THE LIVE ACTION
Mysore Warriors will begin their campaign against Shivamogga Yodhas
on June 20 at 7 pm at SDNR Wadiyar Stadium in Manasagangothri.
Catch the live action on Sony Sports TEN 5 & Sony Sports TEN 4 Kannada.
The matches will also be streamed live on FanCode.
This post was published on June 20, 2026 7:30 pm