~ Record-breaking carnage at Dehradun as Haridwar Spring Elmas skipper Kunal Chandela’s explosive century scripted a massive 80-run win over Pithoragarh Hurricanes ~

Dehradun, 27 September 2025: Captain Kunal Chandela made his name into Uttarakhand cricket folklore with a breathtaking display of batting brutality with 126 runs off 59 balls of pure destruction that powered his Haridwar Spring Elmas to a towering 252/6 against the Pithoragarh Hurricanes in the third match of the tournament.

Chandela’s top-quality knock, featuring 15 boundaries and 7 sixes at a strike rate of 213.56, formed the backbone of Haridwar’s record-breaking total, the highest team total in the history of UPL.

Pithoragarh’s decision to bowl first proved costly. Despite losing two early wickets, Chandela’s exploits and middle and lower order power kept Haridwar’s run-rate soaring. Saurav Chauhan smashed 43 off 17 balls with six boundaries, while Neeraj Singh Rathour made a steady 23. Later, Siddharth Gupta smashed 13 off four and Prashant Bhati hammered 19* off four to push past 250.

The Hurricanes bowlers found no respite. Shahanshah Alam conceded 56 runs in four overs despite two wickets, while Ravinder Negi leaked 50 runs in his three.

Chasing a mammoth 253, the Pithoragarh Hurricanes’ chase began steadily before losing their opener Daksh Arora right after the Powerplay. He fell for 30 off 26 balls after a promising start that included three sixes. Skipper Prashant Chopra and Piyush Joshi followed quickly, dismissed for modest contributions as Haridwar’s bowlers maintained pressure.

Opener Manish Gaur departed soon after making a valuable 29 from 24. Tushar Nautiyal fought valiantly with an unbeaten 58 off 32 balls, but with wickets falling at the other end and the required run-rate spiraling beyond reach, the Pithoragarh Hurricanes could only manage 172/5 in their reply, falling well short of the record target.

Kunal Chandela was awarded the Player of the Match for his impressive knock of 126runs. This commanding triumph not only provided Haridwar Spring Elmas with their opening victory but also delivered a significant net run-rate advantage.