~ In the opening encounter, the Dehradun Warriors began their campaign with a statement victory, defeating the defending champions, USN Indians, by 16 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium

~ In the second game, Rishikesh Falcons delivered a commanding performance to defeat Tehri Titans by 8 wickets

September 27, Dehradun: After days of anticipation, the Men’s Uttarakhand Premier League 2025 kicked off with a triple-header treat for the fans.

Match 1: Dehradun Warriors vs USN Indians
In the tournament opener, the Warriors posted a competitive 162/9 in their allotted 20 overs, before restricting the Indians to 146/9 in a thrilling encounter that set the tone for an exciting second edition of the state’s premier T20 competition.

Batting first, the Dehradun Warriors overcame early setbacks, after losing four key wickets in Yuvraj Chaudhary, Aditya Naithani, Sanskar Rawat, and Aanjaneya Suryavanshi inside a shaky first 10 overs, to build a defendable total. The middle order provided crucial contributions as wickets fell at regular intervals. Sagar Rawat anchored the revival with a gritty 23-ball 38, stabilising the stage before Harshit Paliwal provided the late flourish.

Paliwal’s impactful 16-ball 28 blitz in the death overs propelled the Warriors to a competitive total of 162/9 in 20 overs. For the Indians, left-arm pacer Rajan Kumar was the pick of the bowling attack, claiming 3/18.

USN Indians, who won the inaugural UPL title, entered as favorites but found the Warriors’ bowling attack too disciplined. They lost a couple of wickets inside an underwhelming Powerplay. Their middle order struggled to convert starts, faltering against the rich blend of spin and pace from the Warriors.

Having lost six wickets for 92 in the 15th over, the chasing side was at a spot of bother before Vanshraj Chauhan’s 16-ball 38 runs cameo steered them past 140. However, it was too late an act to take them past the finishing line. Sagar Rawat was adjudged as the Player of the Match.

Match 2: Tehri Titans vs Rishikesh Falcons
The afternoon encounter of the tournament’s second match witnessed Tehri Titans competing against Rishikesh Falcons. The Titans’ decision to bat first under challenging conditions proved detrimental as Rishikesh’s pace attack dismantled their batting order.

The bowling trio of Nikhil Pundir, Agrim Tiwari, and Jagmohan Nagarkoti devastated Tehri’s top order, reducing them to a precarious 11/3 in the fourth over. However, middle-order resistance, spearheaded by Aniket Malik’s composed 38 from 40, enabled a recovery to 103/7 by the eighteenth over. The lower order’s inability to contribute significantly restricted Tehri to 112/9.

Chasing the modest target, Rishikesh commenced confidently with Abhyuday Bhatnagar and Allen Chetan establishing a brisk 38-run opening partnership before Aryan Sharma dismissed the latter in the third over. Poorvansh Dhruv subsequently joined opener Bhatnagar, who dominated proceedings with an explosive 18-ball 39, including five maximums, propelling Rishikesh to 70 runs within the Powerplay.

The Titans’ bowling attack appeared ineffective throughout the chase. Akhil Singh Rawat and Poorvansh Dhruv combined caution with aggression, constructing a crucial 64-run third-wicket partnership that guided Rishikesh to a comprehensive eight-wicket win in just 12.2 overs.

Jagmohan Nagarkoti was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his figures of 3/13. This commanding triumph not only provided Rishikesh Falcons with their opening victory but also delivered a significant net run-rate advantage.