KPPL draft 2026 finalises squads for inaugural season

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Pickleball Premier League (KPPL) has finalised squads for its inaugural season following the KPPL Draft 2026 held at E-Zone, Bengaluru, on September 20. Seven franchise teams — Bengaluru, Mangalore, Tumkur, Coorg, Mysore, Belagavi and Bellary — selected 56 players from a pool of 89 during the two-hour draft.

The teams built eight-member playing squads through nine rounds, with a chit-based system deciding the selection order. The player pool included talent from Karnataka and other states, along with national and international-level competitors. The squads feature both men and women players, reflecting the league’s focus on creating an inclusive competitive platform.

Seven icon players also joined the league. Sonu Kumar Vishwakarma was selected by Mangalore, Mayur Narayan Patil by Tumkur, Kuldip Ravindra Mahajan M by Coorg, Anuja Pravin Maheshwari by Bengaluru, Vanshik Ankur Kapadia by Mysore, Vrushali Shamkant Thakare by Belagavi and Tejas Ravindra Mahajan by Bellary.

Arun Kumar of Entropy Sports and Events said the draft marked an important step towards competition, while Ashish Swarnkar said the structured format and 30-second selection window added anticipation to every round.

Rajat Kankar of the Karnataka State Pickleball Association said the league would provide players with a dedicated competitive platform and greater visibility for the sport. KPPL Season 1 will be held from October 9 to 11 at GKVK, Bengaluru.