Haridwar Elmas clinched the UPL 2025 title in dramatic fashion, chasing down 149 runs with four balls to spare in a thrilling grand finale.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun on Sunday.
After winning the toss, Haridwar Elmas chose to bowl first, and their decision paid off as they held Nainital Tigers to 148/6. The Nainital innings began disastrously, with Prashant Bhati dismissing both openers, Dhruv Pratap Singh (12 off 6) and Aarav Mahajan (2 off 6) within four overs.
In at No.3, Rahul Raj Namala injected momentum into the Tigers’ innings with an exciting 29 off 20, smashing two boundaries and three sixes. Captain Bhupen Lalwani attempted to anchor the innings with a measured 35 from 42 deliveries before quitting in the 19th over.
The cornerstone of Nainital’s score was a superb undefeated half-century by the in-form Shashwat Dangwal, who finished on 52 from 41 deliveries. His calm innings, complete with three boundaries and two sixes, gave the Tigers a competitive total. The bottom order contributed little, as wickets dropped at regular intervals.
Prashant Bhati emerged as Haridwar’s most economical bowler, with 2/16 from four overs, while Harjeet Singh and Sumit Juyal both took one wicket.
Haridwar’s run chase began poorly, with Anmol Shah dismissing opener Himanshu Sony for a golden duck off the second ball of the innings. However, captain Kunal Chandela staged a spirited comeback, scoring 33 runs off 19 balls, including seven fours, to lay the groundwork for the chase.
The middle order struggled, with Priyanshu Khanduri scoring only six runs and Neeraj Rathour contributing 17 before falling to Dikshanshu Negi. Saurav Chauhan’s useful 25 off 23 balls and Vishal Dangwal’s enterprising 23 from 19, including a crucial six, kept the innings going before both fell at critical moments.
The decisive collaboration emerged from the lower-middle order. Uzair Malik made an important cameo, remaining unbeaten on 22 from 13 deliveries, including two huge sixes that shifted momentum significantly towards Haridwar. Siddharth Gupta finished with an explosive unbeaten 15 from just five balls, including two sixes in the final over, to secure a thrilling four-wicket victory.
Vishal Kumar Saini was Nainital’s most successful bowler, with 2/23, but Satyam Baliyan proved costly despite only taking one wicket.
The match exemplified T20 cricket at its best, with Haridwar Elmas displaying great poise under duress to win their first Uttarakhand Premier League title.
Tournament Awards: Celebrating the Stars
The Uttarakhand Premier League 2025 concluded with the presentation of individual accolades recognizing outstanding performances throughout the competition. Haridwar Elmas captain Kunal Chandela enjoyed a stellar tournament, claiming a remarkable double by winning both the Best Batter award and the prestigious Player of the Tournament honour.
The explosive opener amassed an impressive 455 runs, the most in this tournament, across seven innings at an outstanding average of 75.83, while maintaining a blistering strike rate of 177.04. His consistent contributions with the bat along with his leadership proved instrumental in guiding his side to the championship title.
The Best Bowler award was presented to Rishikesh Falcons’ Jagmohan Nagarkoti, whose brilliant right-arm fast bowling proved decisive throughout the tournament. The pace bowler claimed 12 wickets across six innings, maintaining an economy rate of 10.37 whilst bowling 58 dot balls. The top wicket taker of the tournament’s ability to strike regularly made him a formidable opponent.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Sanskar Rawat of Dehradun Warriors was recognized as the Emerging Player of the competition. The young batter demonstrated exceptional promise, accumulating 297 runs in seven innings at a remarkable average of 59.40 while striking at an explosive rate of 180. His mature performances marked him as a prospect of immense potential for Uttarakhand cricket’s future.
India
