TNPL winners list: Chepauk Super Gillies dominate Tamil Nadu Premier League

The Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) is a men’s T20 cricket league hosted annually in Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state.

Started in 2016, the TNPL was launched by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and was conceived by former BCCI president and then TNCA president N. Srinivasan.

The TNPL was formed in 2016 when Indian T20 League franchise Team Chennai was serving a two-year suspension from the tournament due to the involvement of its owners in the 2013 betting case. 

In the absence of top level matches in Chennai, the TNPL was launched to offer a platform for the talented players from various districts in Tamil Nadu.

As many as eight teams participated in the inaugural edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League in 2016.

Tuti Patriots won the first TNPL title after they thrashed Chepauk Super Gillies by 122 runs in the 2016 final.

A year later, Chepauk Super Gillies avenged their loss after they beat Tuti Patriots by three wickets in the 2017 final to bag their maiden TNPL title.

Madurai Panthers became the third team to clinch the TNPL title after they overcame Dindigul Dragons in the 2018 final.

Chepauk Super Gillies are the most successful team in TNPL history with four titles. 

Lyca Kovai Kings are the defending champions of the Tamil Nadu Premier League after they hammered Nellai Royal Kings by 104 runs in the 2023 final in Tirunelveli. Get TNPL winners list.

TNPL winners list: Know all the Tamil Nadu Premier League champions 

TNPL 2016: Tuti Patriots 

Tuti Patriots, who finished third in the league stage, were completely dominant in the TNPL 2016 final against table-toppers Chepauk Super Gillies. The Dinesh Karthik-led side hit 215/2 upon opting to bat first, with Abhinav Mukund slamming a 52-ball 82.

In reply, Chepauk Super Gillies were bowled out for 93. Vasanth Saravanan top-scored with 30 runs off 34 balls but his effort went in vain as spinner M Ganesh Moorthi grabbed four wickets for 11 runs.

The 122-run victory in the final added to Tuti Patriots’ 45-run win in the earlier meeting between the teams on matchday one.

TNPL 2017: Chepauk Super Gillies

After suffering a disheartening loss in 2016, Chepauk Super Gillies exacted revenge on Tuti Patriots by registering a six-wicket victory in the TNPL 2017 final.

Put in to bowl, Chepauk Super Gillies restricted Tuti Patriots to 143/8 in 20 overs. Like in the previous final, Abhinav Mukund ended as the top-scorer in the fixture for his team with a 38-ball 41.

Opener Gopinath led from the front with 38-ball 50 as Chepauk Super Gillies managed to chase the target of 144 with six balls to spare. CSG ended the match with a score of 145/4 in 19 overs.

TNPL 2018: Siechem Madurai Panthers

Madurai Panthers and Dindigul Dragons, who ended on equal footing in the league stage of the 2018 campaign, met in the final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The Panthers, who won the toss and bowled first, bundled out Dindigul Dragons for 117. Abhishek Tanwar was the most effective bowler as he scalped four wickets for 30 runs.

When they came out to bat, Madurai Panthers rode on Arun Karthik’s unbeaten 75 off 50 balls and Shijit Chandran’s 49-ball 38. There was a bit of a scare for the team after the opposition’s M Silambarasan grabbed three wickets in the opening over at the cost of just two runs.

However, the Panthers managed to hold their ground to secure their first and only title till date.

TNPL 2019: Chepauk Super Gillies

After a last-place finish in the 2018 season, Chepauk Super Gillies returned as a TNPL finalist in the 2019 edition and would take on Dindigul Dragons.

Uthirasamy Sasidev (44 runs off 33 balls) and Murugan Ashwin (27-ball 28) stitched a 61-run partnership for the sixth wicket to help CSG plot an eventual match-winning score of 126/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

The Dragons, in return, were reduced to 114/9 in 20 overs as Chepauk’s Ganeshan Periyaswamy put out a player-of-the-match performance with a five-wicket haul (5/15). The victory marked CSG’s second title and first since 2017.

TNPL 2021: Chepauk Super Gillies

Chepauk Super Gillies successfully defended their TNPL title as they outclassed Ruby Trichy Warriors by 12 runs in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Premier League final.

Put to bat first, CSG rode on Narayan Jagadeesan’s 58-ball 90 to score 183/6 in 20 overs.

Ruby Trichy Warriors’ run chase started slightly better than Chepauk Super Gillies as they hit 65 runs in the powerplay overs. However, with wickets tumbling in almost every over, RTW could only manage 175/7 in 20 overs and thus, finished as runners-up to now three-time champions Chepauk Super Gillies.

TNPL 2022: Chepauk Super Gillies and Lyca Kovai Kings

Chepauk Super Gillies and Lyca Kovai Kings were declared as joint winners of the TNPL 2022 after the final was washed out due to rain and the summit clash ended in a no result. 

Star batter Sai Sudharsan slammed 65 off 42 balls to power Lyca Kovai Kings to 138/9 before rain interrupted and the match was reduced to 17 overs a side. 

Chasing 139, Chepauk Super Gillies were 14/2 in four overs as rain played spoilsport again. 

As per rules, a minimum of five overs were required to constitute a match which was not possible due to heavy rain. 

Chepauk Super Gillies pacer Sandeep Warrier was later adjudged the Player of the Match in the final for his brilliant spell of 4/29.

TNPL 2023: Lyca Kovai Kings

Lyca Kovai Kings bagged their second TNPL title after they beat Nellai Royal Kings by 104 runs in the 2023 final in Tirunelveli.

Electing to bat first, Lyca Kovai Kings rode on fifties from wicketkeeper-batter Suresh Kumar (57), U Mukilesh (51 not out) and Atheeq Ur Rahman (50) to post a huge total of 205/5 in their 20 overs. 

Later, leg-spinner Jhathavedh Subramanyan produced a four-wicket haul to help Lyca Kovai Kings bundle out Nellai Royal Kings for 101 in 15 overs.

Jhathavedh Subramanyan later won the Player of the Match award to guide Lyca Kovai Kings to their second TNPL trophy. 

Most successful teams in TNPL: Titles won by each team

Photo credit: Imago