Dehradun, Aug 28 The Uttarakhand Premier League is set to return for its second season will kick off with the women's competition from September 23. The men's competition will begin on September 27, announced the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) on Thursday.
The CAU has announced that the league will feature seven men's and four women's teams, increasing from five men's and three women's teams that took part last season - showcasing a steady growth in the talent pool emerging from within the state.
In the the women's competition, four teams vie for the title across four days, with six round robin matches taking place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun. The women's final will take place on September 26.
In the men's competition, 21 league matches takes place between the seven participating teams stretching across a week, before the eliminator and final are held on October 4 and 5, respectively.
A total of 30 matches will be played at the city's iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, with SSPARK Sports and Entertainment serving as the league's organisers.
The UPL season 1 saw homegrown players such as Yuvraj Chaudhary, Priyanshu Khanduri, Avneesh Sudha and Bhanu Pratap Singh shine with match-winning performances - proving that the state’s cricketing pipeline is stronger than ever.
The CAU aims to build on this momentum by giving emerging cricketers the platform to showcase their skills alongside players who have excelled at the highest level, including those with experience in the Indian Team and Indian Premier League. This exposure not only raises the competitive standard of the league but also accelerates player development.
To ensure every team has an equal opportunity to build a competitive squad, the UPL Player Draft will be held on September 10 in Dehradun. Across the two days, all seven men’s teams and four women’s teams will complete their rosters, beginning with each franchise selecting one marquee player before filling out their line-ups.
Excited for the return of the UPL, Mahim Verma, secretary of the CAU, said, "Season 1 of the Uttarakhand Premier League showed us the incredible depth of cricketing talent in our state, and with Season 2, we aim to provide an even bigger platform.
"This league gives young players the chance to rub shoulders with those who have competed at the highest levels - in the IPL and the WPL. We are confident UPL will continue to accelerate the development of Uttarakhand’s cricketers while offering fans a truly world-class cricketing and cultural experience.”
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