Uttarakhand Premier League Kicks Off with Thrilling Women's Matches
Exciting Start to the Uttarakhand Premier League
The third season of the Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL) commenced at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Raipur on Monday, featuring an exhilarating opening day for the women's tournament with two matches.
On the first day, the Dehradun Warriors and Mussoorie Queens both secured victories in distinct styles, setting a vibrant tone for this year's T20 competition in the state.
In the initial match, the Dehradun Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl first against the Pithoragarh Hurricanes. The Hurricanes struggled, managing only 84 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their 20 overs, with Minakshi Joshi shining with the ball for the Warriors, taking three wickets.
Chasing a target of 85 runs, the Dehradun Warriors made quick work of it, reaching 85 runs for 3 wickets in just 14.1 overs, marking a successful start to their UPL 2026 campaign. Minakshi Joshi was honored as the Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round performance.
The second women's match featured the Mussoorie Queens against Bageshwar Aerial. After winning the toss, the Queens opted to bowl first, and Bageshwar Aerial managed to score a respectable 108 runs for 6 wickets in their innings.
However, rain disrupted the chase, and the Mussoorie Queens ended up at 62 runs for 1 wicket in 9 overs, clinching victory via the DLS method. Roshni Danu was named Player of the Match for her pivotal role in the successful chase.
Mussoorie Queens captain Nandini Kashyap reflected on the challenging conditions during their innings, stating, “The pitch was not looking very good after the rain. The ball was staying low and there wasn’t much movement. We noticed that most of their batters were playing across the line, so we decided to play with a straight bat. Aarti executed the plan really well and converted the opportunities into boundaries.”
The day's cricketing events will be followed by a grand opening ceremony featuring Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor, along with performances that celebrate the rich musical heritage of Uttarakhand.
The women's tournament will continue on Tuesday with another double-header, while the men's segment of UPL 2026 will kick off in the evening, featuring a match between Haridwar Elmas and Nainital Tigers at 7:30 PM.
The women's competition includes four teams: Mussoorie Queens, Bageshwar Aerial, Pithoragarh Hurricanes, and Dehradun Warriors, while the men's competition consists of seven teams. The tournament is set to run until October 1, culminating in the men's UPL 2026 Final on the last day.