UPL 2026: Players’ draft completes squads, Rishikesh River Kings secure Akash Madhwal
Dehradun, Sep 17 (IANS) The Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL) franchises completed their player drafts to complete their squads ahead of the upcoming season.
All the seven men’s teams finalised their squads ahead of the tournament, scheduled to be played from September 21 to October 1 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Raipur, Dehradun as Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2026 replacement fast bowler Akash Madhwal was roped in by Rishikesh River Kings.
Other prominent Uttarakhand players – Suchith J, Avneesh Sudha, Yuvraj Choudhary, Tejasvi Jaiswal, Kunal Chandela and Mayank Mishra also headline the respective squads as icon players.
USN Indians have retained Suchith J, while Nainital Tigers will be led by Avneesh. Choudhary has joined Haridwar Elmas, and Jaiswal has gone to Tehri Titans. Dehradun Warriors will be represented by Chandela, while Mayank Mishra will be the icon player for Pithoragarh Hurricanes.
Each franchise assembled a mix of senior players, Under-23 and Under-19 cricketers, uncapped players and established icon players.
Meanwhile, Kiran Verma, Secretary, Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), reflected on the draft. “The Players’ Draft has brought together a strong pool of talent from across Uttarakhand and gives our players an important platform to compete at a high level.
“The UPL has grown with every edition, and with both senior and emerging players coming together, we are looking forward to an exciting third season,” Kiran said.
Former BCCI Vice-President and Former Secretary of CAU Mahim Verma also highlighted the platform the league provides for local cricketers. “The completion of the draft marks another important step towards UPL 2026. The league provides players from Uttarakhand an opportunity to perform in a competitive environment and gain visibility.
“With the IPL auction cycle approaching, this tournament can be an important platform for players to showcase their abilities through their performances,” Mahim said.
Chairperson of the Uttarakhand Premier League Sunil Joshi also highlighted that the draft has given another layer to the league. “The Players’ Draft has added another layer of excitement to UPL 2026. Each team has put together its squad with a combination of experienced players and young talent, which reflects the depth available in Uttarakhand cricket.
“We are now looking forward to seeing these players come together on the field and make the most of the opportunity,” Joshi said.
Meanwhile, the women’s competition will also take place at the UPL 2026, with the likes of Mussoorie Queens, Bageshwar Aerial, Pithoragarh Hurricanes and Dehradun Warriors featuring in the event. Prema Rawat, Raghvi Bist, Nandini Kashyap and Sweta Verma are the icon players.
The women’s Players’ Draft also saw all four teams complete their squads for the third edition of the Uttarakhand Premier League. Raghvi will lead Pithoragarh Hurricanes as their icon player, while Sweta will captain Dehradun Warriors. Mussoorie Queens have secured Nandini Kashyap as their icon player, while Bageshwar Aerial have added Prema Rawat as their icon player.
–IANS
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