Introduction
Win the Plate Final and a place in Elite cricket comes with the trophy.
That prize makes the Ranji Trophy Plate 2026-27 schedule worth a careful read, even though the group gets far less attention than the Elite section. Six teams play five league rounds, and the top two meet in a Final in late January.
Below you will find every round date, a fixture table with venues, and the rules that decide who goes up.
How the Plate Group Works
The Plate group holds six teams, and each plays the other five once. That gives 15 league matches in total.
Plate teams play on the same four-day rounds as Elite teams. Phase 1 covers four rounds from October 11 to November 5, 2026, and Phase 2 adds one more round from January 17 to 20, 2027.
After round five, the top two teams in the table face each other in the Plate Final. BCCI has set that match for January 24 to 28, 2027.
Plate teams therefore finish their season long before the Elite knockouts begin on February 9. Their whole campaign fits inside a few weeks of cricket.
Meet the Six Plate Teams
The 2026-27 Plate group has six sides, all from the North-East.
| Team | Region | Last season’s group |
| Nagaland | North-East | Elite Group A |
| Manipur | North-East | Plate |
| Meghalaya | North-East | Plate |
| Sikkim | North-East | Plate |
| Mizoram | North-East | Plate |
| Arunachal Pradesh | North-East | Plate |
Nagaland are the odd one out. They played in Elite Group A in 2025-26 and have now dropped into Plate, so they are in the group they would like to leave quickly.
Bihar went the other way. They were in Plate last season and now appear in Elite Group A.
Plate Round Dates at a Glance
Five rounds, five date blocks. Keep this table close if you plan to follow one team.
| Round | Dates | Phase |
| 1 | October 11 to 14, 2026 | Phase 1 |
| 2 | October 18 to 21, 2026 | Phase 1 |
| 3 | October 26 to 29, 2026 | Phase 1 |
| 4 | November 2 to 5, 2026 | Phase 1 |
| 5 | January 17 to 20, 2027 | Phase 2 |
| Final | January 24 to 28, 2027 | Top two teams |
A gap of more than ten weeks separates round four from round five. Teams will use that break to rest players and reset plans.
Full Plate Fixtures and Venues
The table below follows published fixture listings. A few pairings were pieced together from partial listings, so check the BCCI site or the Cricinfo series page before travelling.
| Round | Match | Venue |
| 1 | Nagaland v Arunachal Pradesh | Ahmedabad |
| 1 | Mizoram v Manipur | Nadiad |
| 1 | Sikkim v Meghalaya | Rangpo |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh v Sikkim | Nadiad |
| 2 | Meghalaya v Manipur | Shillong |
| 2 | Nagaland v Mizoram | Sovima |
| 3 | Sikkim v Nagaland | Rangpo |
| 3 | Manipur v Arunachal Pradesh | Nadiad |
| 3 | Meghalaya v Mizoram | Ahmedabad |
| 4 | Manipur v Sikkim | Ahmedabad |
| 4 | Meghalaya v Nagaland | Shillong |
| 4 | Mizoram v Arunachal Pradesh | Anand |
| 5 | Nagaland v Manipur | Sovima |
| 5 | Sikkim v Mizoram | Rangpo |
| 5 | Meghalaya v Arunachal Pradesh | Shillong |
Every team appears once per round, and every team meets each rival exactly one time. That structure is why five rounds are enough.
Venue Notes: Gujarat, Rangpo, Shillong and Sovima
Look at the venue column and a pattern shows up. Ahmedabad, Nadiad and Anand, all in Gujarat, host a large share of the matches.
Those three towns are far from the North-East, so several teams will be playing away from home. Weather and travel time can matter as much as batting form over a four-day game.
Three home grounds also appear in the list. Rangpo is the Sikkim venue, Shillong is the Meghalaya venue and Sovima is the Nagaland venue.
Sikkim play at Rangpo in rounds one, three and five. Meghalaya get Shillong for rounds two, four and five.
My read is that home advantage will count for plenty in this group. Local conditions in Rangpo and Shillong are not something a visiting side can copy in the nets.
Plate Final Dates and Rules
The Plate Final runs from January 24 to 28, 2027. That is a five-day window, the same length BCCI has listed for the Elite knockout rounds.
Only the top two teams after round five qualify. A side that finishes third, even by a few points, is out of the title race.
Rankings use the standard multi-day order. Points come first, then bonus points, then wins, then head-to-head results where they apply, and finally the quotient.
That last tie-breaker could matter. In a five-match league, two teams can easily end level on points.
Promotion and What Is at Stake
The Plate winner of 2026-27 is promoted to the Elite group for 2027-28, where it joins Group A. Elite cricket brings tougher opponents and more attention.
At the other end, one Elite side drops into Plate each year. That keeps movement flowing in both directions.
For a small cricket association, promotion can change plenty. Better fixtures, better pitches and a larger audience all follow a move up.
Plate teams do not play for the Ranji Trophy itself in this part of the season. Their goal is the step up, and the Elite title belongs to the knockout stage that starts on February 9.
Last Season’s Plate Picture
Last season gives a clue about the group’s balance. Manipur topped the Plate table with 18 points and reached the Final, while Meghalaya finished third on 15 points and stayed in Plate.
Those numbers show a tight spread between the top three. A single win or a first-innings lead can swing the order.
Manipur and Meghalaya both return, so expect familiar names near the top again. Nagaland add a new angle, because a team with Elite experience now sits among the Plate sides.
I would not write off Sikkim, Mizoram or Arunachal Pradesh. A home game or a good bowling spell can flip a table fast in a short league.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Opening Matches and Schedule
Ranji Trophy Elite 2026-27 Match Schedule
Key Takeaways
- Plate teams: six, in a single group
- League matches per team: five, spread over five rounds
- Phase 1 dates: October 11 to November 5, 2026
- Phase 2 date: January 17 to 20, 2027
- Plate Final: January 24 to 28, 2027, top two teams
- Reward: the winner is promoted to Elite Group A for 2027-28
FAQs
How many teams play in the Ranji Trophy Plate 2026-27?
Six teams play in the Plate group: Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
When is the Ranji Trophy Plate Final?
The Plate Final is scheduled for January 24 to 28, 2027.
How many matches does each Plate team play?
Each team plays five league matches, one against every other side in the group.
Who gets promoted from the Plate group?
The Plate winner moves up to Elite Group A for the 2027-28 season.
Which team came down from Elite into Plate this season?
Nagaland dropped from Elite Group A into the Plate group.
Conclusion
The Ranji Trophy Plate 2026-27 schedule is short, tight and easy to track: five rounds, then a Final from January 24 to 28. Manipur and Meghalaya set the pace last season, and Nagaland arrive with Elite experience. Whoever wins the Final earns a spot in Elite Group A for 2027-28, which is a prize worth chasing.
