Uttarakhand Premier League 2026: Players’ draft completes squads as cricket stars gear up for 3rd Season

Organised under the aegis of the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), UPL 2026 will feature seven men’s teams — Pithoragarh Hurricanes, USN Indians, Nainital Tigers, Rishikesh River Kings, Haridwar Elmas, Tehri Titans and Dehradun Warriors — with each franchise assembling a mix of senior players, Under-23 and Under-19 cricketers, uncapped players and established icon players.

The Players’ Draft has brought together several of Uttarakhand’s prominent performers, including Akash Madhwal, Suchith J, Avneesh Sudha, Yuvraj Choudhary, Tejasvi Jaiswal, Kunal Chandela and Mayank Mishra, who will headline the respective squads as icon players.

Rishikesh River Kings have secured pace bowler Akash Madhwal as their icon player, while USN Indians have retained Suchith J. Nainital Tigers will be led by the presence of Avneesh Sudha, with Yuvraj Choudhary joining Haridwar Elmas and Tejasvi Jaiswal becoming part of Tehri Titans. Kunal Chandela will represent Dehradun Warriors, while Mayank Mishra will be the icon player for Pithoragarh Hurricanes.

Speaking after the completion of the Players’ Draft, Smt. Kiran Verma, Secretary, Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), said, “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.”

Shri Mahim Verma, Former Vice-President, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Former Secretary, Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), said, “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.”

Shri Sunil Joshi, Chairperson, Uttarakhand Premier League, said, “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.”

The Pithoragarh Hurricanes have assembled a squad featuring senior players including Aanjaneya Suryavanshi, Priyanshu Barswal, Satyam Baaliyan and Vaibhav Bhatt, alongside Under-23, Under-19 and uncapped players, with Mayank Mishra as their icon player.

USN Indians have added senior players Aditya Sethi, Harsh Rana, Piyush Joshi and Rohit Dangwal, with icon player Suchith J providing experience to the squad. The team has also included a strong group of Under-23, Under-19 and uncapped players.

Nainital Tigers have built their squad around icon player Avneesh Sudha, alongside senior players Aarav Mahajan, Mukesh Gupta and Rahul Raj. The squad also features emerging players from the Under-23 and Under-19 categories and a number of uncapped cricketers.

Rishikesh River Kings have brought together senior players Akhil Singh Rawat, Aashish Choudhary, Dikshanshu Negi and Prashant Chauhan, while icon player Akash Madhwal adds experience to the bowling department. The squad also includes several Under-23, Under-19 and uncapped players.

Haridwar Elmas have secured senior players Janmejay Joshi, Saurabh Rawat, Saurav Chauhan and Shashwat Dangwal, with icon player Yuvraj Choudhary joining the squad. The team has also drafted players across the Under-23, Under-19 and uncapped categories.

Tehri Titans have added senior players Aryan Sharma, Nikhil Harsh, Ravinder Negi and Vijay Sharma, with icon player Tejasvi Jaiswal forming part of their squad. The team has also included a mix of Under-23, Under-19 and uncapped cricketers.

Dehradun Warriors have drafted senior players Aditya Rawat, Devendra Bora and Neeraj Rathour, with icon player Kunal Chandela headlining the squad. Sanskar Rawat and a number of young and uncapped players will add further depth to the team.

The draft also underlines the UPL’s focus on creating a pathway for emerging cricketers, with players from Under-19, Under-23 and uncapped categories featuring across all seven squads. The combination of established players and younger cricketers is expected to provide an environment where emerging talent can compete alongside experienced performers.

The women’s competition will also form part of UPL 2026, featuring Mussoorie Queens, Bageshwar Aerial, Pithoragarh Hurricanes and Dehradun Warriors. The women’s competition will feature icon players Prema Rawat, Raghvi Bist, Nandini Kashyap and Sweta Verma.

The third edition of the Uttarakhand Premier League will commence on September 21 and conclude on October 1, 2026, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Raipur, Dehradun. With the squads now finalised, attention will turn to the opening fixtures as Uttarakhand’s leading cricketers prepare to take the field in the third edition of the state’s premier T20 competition.

The women’s Players’ Draft also saw all four teams complete their squads for the third edition of the Uttarakhand Premier League. Pithoragarh Hurricanes have named Raghavi Bisht as their icon player, while Dehradun Warriors will be led by icon player Sweta Verma. Mussoorie Queens have secured Nandini Kashyap as their icon player, with Bageshwar Aerial adding Prema Rawat as their icon player.

The women’s competition will feature Mussoorie Queens, Bageshwar Aerial, Pithoragarh Hurricanes and Dehradun Warriors, with players selected across batting, bowling and all-rounder categories.