Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Sep: The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) has announced the second season of the Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL), which will kick off on 23 September at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, CAU President Deepak Mehra said the league has expanded this year, featuring seven men’s teams and four women’s teams, compared to five and three, respectively, in the inaugural season.
The men’s teams are: Dehradun Warriors, Haridwar Spring Elmas, Nainital Tigers, Pithoragarh Hurricanes, Rishikesh Falcons, Tehri Titans, and USN Indians. The women’s competition will see Haridwar Storm, Mussoorie Thunders, Pithoragarh Hurricanes, and Tehri Queens battle it out.
The total prize pool is nearly Rs 50 lakh. Men’s champions will earn Rs 25 lakh, while the women’s winners will receive Rs 7 lakh. The runners-up will take home Rs 12 lakh (men) and Rs 3 lakh (women). Individual prizes include Player of the Series (Rs 1 lakh for men, Rs 25,000 for women) and Player of the Match (Rs 10,000).
UPL will also showcase star players as Icon Cricketers. The men’s line-up includes Avneesh Sudha, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Jagadeesha Suchith, Prashant Chopra, Bhupen Lalwani, Kunal Chandela, and Rajan Kumar. Among women, Mansi Joshi, Neelam Bhardwaj, Sweta Verma, and Kanchan Parihar will be key faces.
Officials highlighted that the league is aimed at promoting cricket in Uttarakhand and providing a platform for local players to display their talent. Fans can expect two weeks of action-packed cricket with nearly 30 matches, including league rounds, eliminators, and the finals.
Present at the press conference were CAU President Deepak Mehra, Secretary Kiran Rautela Verma, UPL Chairman Sunil Kumar Joshi, Treasurer Manas Menghwal, along with other officials.
