The second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) is set to kick off on August 21, 2025, featuring six teams and 33 T20 clashes that will illuminate Kerala’s cricket scene in just a few weeks.
Beyond the matches, KCL carries a unique identity, from locally inspired mascot designs to its pledge of directing up to 70% of profits to community initiatives. It is not only about battles on the pitch but also a story that extends far beyond the boundary lines.
Whether this passion can break past state borders to claim a bigger stage or remain Kerala’s festival is the question. Read on to find out.
Kerala Cricket League 2025 South India’s Rising T20 Carnival
Kerala Cricket League (KCL) launched in 2024 under the Kerala Cricket Association as South India’s T20 stage for turning local talent into national stars.
Kerala has given Indian cricket names like Sanju Samson and Basil Thampi, yet many homegrown players lack high-intensity T20 exposure to break into the IPL or national team.
KCL changes that with a pro-franchise format, competitive match time, and a clear pathway upward.
70% of profits go to charity and retired player welfare, giving it both a business edge and a social heart. With live music, fan zones, traditional dance, and Kerala’s famous street food, every game feels like a festival where cricket takes center stage.
The Mascot With a Mission
Kerala Cricket League's three mascots
KCL Season 2 brought three mascots to life, each carrying a slice of Kerala’s identity. The sharp-witted Chakyar from traditional theatre stands for intelligence and humor. The elephant represents strength and Kerala’s deep bond with nature, while the hornbill brings color and freedom to the mix.
To pull fans right into the fun, the league launched a naming contest for the elephant and hornbill with ₹30,000 in prize money, turning spectators into part of the story.
Naming contest for KCL mascots & win ₹30,000!
Format & Match Schedule for 2025 Season
The Kerala Cricket League (KCL) Season 2 will run from August 21 to September 6, 2025, packing two matches a day into just two weeks. This tight schedule avoids clashes with international fixtures and other state-level T20 leagues while keeping the buzz alive from start to finish.
For fans, it means non-stop action every single day, with no dull moments.
Kerala Cricket League Season 2 - tournament dates
2025 KCL Format and Schedule:
Opening & Final Dates: Aug 21, 2025 – Sep 6, 2025
Total Matches: 30 league games + 3 playoffs (Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Final)
Kerala Cricket League - Free live streaming on Vegas11
Star Players to Watch This Year
Every league has its poster boys, and KCL is no different. Sanju Samson, Vishnu Vinod, Jalaj Saxena, Mohammed Azharuddeen, and Vignesh Puthur are the names You will constantly see matches that fans are eager to watch on the scoreboard.
Sanju Samson
Kochi Blue Tigers
Flagship batter for Kochi Blue Tigers with an auction price of ₹26.8 Lakh, taking up more than half of the team’s budget.
Playing alongside his elder brother Saly Samson, he forms a unique sibling duo in KCL. Sanju remains the heartbeat of this squad, capable of flipping the game’s momentum all by himself.
Vishnu Vinod
Aries Kollam Sailors
Tactical run-getter for Aries Kollam Sailors, sold for ₹12.8 Lakh. Not flashy, but rock-solid under pressure, quietly stacking up the runs when the team needs them most.
Jalaj Saxena
Alleppey Ripples
Seasoned all-rounder for Alleppey Ripples, bought for ₹12.4 Lakh. Balanced with bat and ball, he can anchor the innings or strangle the opposition with his bowling.
Mohammed Azharuddeen
Alleppey Ripples
Ripples’ explosive opener, retained for ₹7.5 Lakh. Comes in swinging from ball one, putting bowlers on the back foot right away.
Vignesh Puthur
Calicut Globstars
Ripples’ young pace prospect, retained for ₹3.75 Lakh. Brings raw pace and energy, a strike weapon in crunch situations.
Kerala Cricket League Prize Money and Trophy
The KCL Championship trophy is not something you take home and forget. It carries a legacy. Each year, it is presented to the season’s winners, their team name is engraved on it, and the next year it is back on the line.
For 12 months you are the big boss holding it, but keeping it is a brand new fight.
Kerala Cricket League Champion Trophy Revealed
KCL Season 1 Final Standings
Champions: Aries Kollam Sailors
Runners up: Calicut Globstars
Third place: Trivandrum Royals
Prize Money Breakdown
Champions: ₹30 Lakh
Runners up: ₹20 Lakh
Third and Fourth place: ₹5 Lakh each
Total prize pool ₹60 Lakh. Not IPL money, bro, but for a second-year state-level T20, this is already top-tier stuff.
Bigger than what many older leagues can offer, and enough to make every player swing harder and fight for that trophy with their name etched in history.
Six Teams Six Game Plans in KCL 2025
Six teams, six game plans. Who blitzes the powerplay, who chokes the middle with spin, who owns the death with yorkers and wide lines. Here is your quick map before the deep dive. And yes, we have got the full KCL 2025 squad lists you were looking for too.
Kochi’s power pack. With Sanju Samson at the helm, once they get ahead, good luck catching them! Love to go hard in the powerplay, control the tempo in the middle, and let the finishers close the gate in the final 5 overs.
Sanju Samson’s clean hitting and cool finishing instincts
Changes of pace and wide lines to kill big hits in the middle overs
Death overs game on point – wide lines and yorkers locked in
The calm chasers. These guys have patience in game management. They love to squeeze opponents in the middle overs, then open the floodgates at the death.
Vishnu Vinod sets the tone and controls the middle phase
Seamers + smart field settings to build dot-ball pressure
Flexible death bowling unit, adjusting plans to shut games late
Dual-core engine – one anchor, one firecracker – makes their chases a show! Anchor keeps it steady, big hitter spikes the run rate, and spinners lock it down mid-innings.
Jalaj Saxena’s all-round game gives tactical freedom
Mohammed Azharuddeen’s explosive starts can flip the scoreboard fast
Two spinners from overs 7–15 to slow it down and hold rhythm
Young pacers + sharp fielding = trademark style. Home games are loud and fiery. They love defending first, waiting for the perfect counterattack moment.
High-pressure inner circle in the powerplay forces mistakes
Narrow angles and smart traps in the middle overs
Heavy balls + off-pace mix at the death with sharp boundary fielding
High-tempo running + suffocating fielding turns games into pressure cookers. Attack the stumps early, mix off-spin & leg-spin mid-innings to mess with batters’ timing.
Quick running turns singles into twos, keeps the board ticking
Inner ring pressure stops batters from freeing arms
Death overs: boundary saves & safe hands decide the game
KCL’s second season has already landed full Star Sports and FanCode coverage, packed with a tight schedule and strong team rosters. With no salary cap, franchises can load up on power-hitters, making high-scoring thrillers likely.
Such organization, resources, and execution have lifted KCL beyond a local Kerala T20 league, putting it on the path to national-level competition.
If the momentum holds, KCL could become a must-watch on every Indian cricket fan’s calendar, and maybe even earn a place in the international T20 spotlight. 😎
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