Men’s Uttarakhand Premier League 2025: Haridwar Elmas, Dehradun Warriors Dominate as Race for Finals Heats Up

Dehradun, 3 October 2025: In the morning clash, the Haridwar Elmas emerged victorious by five wickets against Tehri Titans, successfully chasing a modest target of 130 in the penultimate over. With the victory, Haridwar became the first team to reach 10 points, consolidating their position at the top of the table with a strong net run rate and strengthening their claim as frontrunners for a place in the final.

After choosing to bat first, Tehri Titans struggled badly with the bat. Opener Karn Veer Kaushal was dismissed for zero in the first over, and despite Ishagra Jagoori's quick 23 from 13 balls, the Titans finished the Powerplay on 50/6 with wickets tumbling at an alarming rate.

Captain Shobhit Sareen showed great determination in the middle of this collapse, scoring a fighting 59 from 46 balls with four fours and four sixes. His effort helped push the score past the 120 mark, but his wicket in the final over ended the innings as the team was bowled out for 129 in 19.2 overs.

Sumit Juyal and Abhay Chhetri spearheaded Haridwar’s bowling attack, picking up three wickets each, while Siddarth Gupta provided strong support with two scalps.

The chase, however, proved trickier than the modest target suggested. Captain Kunal Chandela set the tone with an aggressive 18, while Saurav Chauhan (21) and Neeraj Singh Rathour (23) added valuable contributions. Yet, regular wickets meant Haridwar were never completely in the clear.

It was Priyanshu Khanduri who held the innings together with a composed, unbeaten 35 off 35 balls. His calm presence at the crease provided much-needed stability while partners around him perished to risky strokes. At a stage when the game still hung in balance, Himanshu Sony’s brisk cameo of 14 from 6, featuring two cleanly struck sixes, settled the contest in emphatic fashion as the Elmas completed the chase with eight balls to spare.

With the tournament now edging closer to its business end, both Dehradun Warriors and Rishikesh Falcons entered the afternoon clash aiming to secure a top-three finish and strengthen their chances of qualifying for the finals. Rishikesh Falcons held third place on the points table with six points and a superior net run rate, while Dehradun Warriors were right behind them, level on points but lagging on net run rate.

Dehradun made the best of their last league game with a comprehensive 93-run win, claiming crucial points to move to No.2 spot in the standings. Rishikesh although still have a chance with one more league game left, a must-win game against Pithoragarh on Saturday.

Dehradun Warriors delivered a commanding batting performance, posting an imposing 216/4 against Rishikesh Falcons. After opting to field, Rishikesh must have hoped for early inroads. Instead, they witnessed a masterclass from Sanskar Rawat, who anchored the innings with a sublime 71 off 41, laced with nine boundaries and three sixes.

His partnership with captain Yuvraj Chaudhary proved instrumental, as the skipper played a blistering 52 from 27 balls, striking four fours and as many sixes.

The opening stand flourished until Chaudhary's dismissal in the tenth over, caught by Aryan Garg off Nikhil Pundir's bowling with the score on 108. Rawat continued his onslaught before falling in the fourteenth over, leaving Aanjaneya Suryavanshi to shepherd the middle order with an unbeaten 35.

Harshit Paliwal provided late flourish with his explosive 27* from 12 balls, featuring two boundaries and two sixes, propelling the Warriors past the 200-mark. The Falcons' bowling attack struggled to contain the onslaught, with Agrim Tiwari proving the most expensive, conceding 45 runs despite claiming one wicket.

Rishikesh Falcons' chase collapsed as they were bowled out for just 123 in 18.1 overs. They lost early wickets in quick succession and never recovered. Poorvansh Dhruv offered some resistance with his side’s top-score of 29 from 21 balls but received little support from the other end. The lack of partnerships and growing pressure led to a complete collapse.

The Dehradun Warriors bowlers executed their plans effectively. Naveen Kumar Singh was the chief destroyer, claiming 3/17. Mayank Mishra and captain Yuvraj Chaudhary contributed with 2 wickets each.