Uttarakhand Premier League 2024, Final Review: USN Indians crowned inaugural champions

Dehradun, 22 September 2024: Centurion Yuvraj Chaudhary and Akhil Rawat stole the spotlight with their outstanding batting performances, playing a key role in leading the USN Indians to a commanding 40-run victory in Uttarakhand Premier League final against the Nainital SG Pipers on Sunday, September 22, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun.

Yuvraj Chaudhary was adjudged Player of the Final for his remarkable innings of 103 and two wickets with the ball.

The Nainital SG Pipers experienced double heartbreak in two days. After their women's team finished as runners-up on Saturday, the men's team also fell short tonight, unable to claim the coveted trophy.

In pursuit of a formidable target of 204 for the tournament title, the Nainital SG Pipers' openers launched their innings with remarkable intensity, capitalizing on the Powerplay overs. Star openers Avneesh Sudha and Priyanshu Khanduri swiftly forged a partnership, racing to a score of 51/0 by the end of the fourth over.

However, their crucial partnership was disrupted when Agrim Tiwari captured the pivotal wicket of Priyanshu Khanduri, who exited after a fiery innings of 26 runs from just 12 balls. Avneesh Sudha soon followed, falling victim to a stumping after contributing 33 runs off 22 balls in the seventh over.

With both set batsmen back to the dugout, the Nainital SG Pipers required their middle order to rise to the occasion and manage the pressure to restore stability to the innings. However, they struggled to provide that steadiness, as wickets continued to fall during the middle overs.

Despite losing wickets consistently, the Nainital SG Pipers remained on track in their chase. However, the ongoing loss of wickets disrupted their scoring rhythm. Harsh Rana put up some fight with a 16-ball 35, but their innings soon was wrapped up for 163 in 17.1 overs.

Prashant Chauhan stood out among the USN Indians' bowlers, taking 3/35, while centurion Yuvraj Chaudhary and Agrim Tiwari contributed with two wickets each.

Asked to bat first by the Nainital SG Pipers, the formidable USN Indians – who secured a direct path to the final after four consecutive victories, remaining unbeaten – faltered at the start. On the third ball of the grand finale, they lost their opener Aarav Mahajan for a duck. Nainital quickly capitalised, as one wicket brought another when USN Indians' captain, Kunal Chandela, was dismissed in the next over for just 5 runs.

After early setbacks, USN Indians' star opener Yuvraj Chaudhary shifted gears, taking full advantage of the Powerplay overs. He showcased his explosive hitting with a series of power-packed boundaries including two fours and two sixes in a single over off Mayank Mishra.

Yuvraj stood solid at one end but continued to search for a stable partner as wickets tumbled at the other. He found brief support from Shashank Pant, who initially struggled to score but soon accelerated with a few boundaries. However, Pant was dismissed in the 13th over after scoring 20 off 22 balls, contributing to a 31-run partnership.

The game took an exciting turn when Akhil Rawat joined the well-set Yuvraj Chaudhary at the crease. Akhil matched his partner's aggressive flair, unleashing a dazzling display of power-hitting and seamlessly joining the explosive action.

The duo went wild in the last five overs, launching colossal sixes with effortless exuberance. Yuvraj Chaudhary electrified the crowd, racing to his century by hitting three sixes in four deliveries and achieving this remarkable milestone in a mere 47 balls in the penultimate over.

Although he was dismissed just a ball later after scoring 103 runs off 49 balls, he played a pivotal role in propelling his team to an impressive total despite facing early challenges.

At the other end, Akhil Rawat found inspiration from the centurion. He continued to hit boundaries at an impressive pace, smashing four back-to-back sixes in the final over to power his side to a mammoth total.

Yuvraj Chaudhary delivered a stunning century, hitting five fours and 11 sixes, while Akhil Rawat shone with a rapid 61 off just 25 balls, including two fours and seven sixes.

After being in a tough position at 101/5 in the 15th over, the pair formed a remarkable partnership, scoring 91 runs in just 40 balls and helping finish at 203/7 by the end of the 20th over.

Tournament Honours: Celebrating the Stars

The USN Indians were graciously awarded the shiny UPL trophy by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, who also presented them with a winning cheque of INR 25 lakhs.

The USN Indians players swept all the season awards. After being named Player of the Final, Yuvraj Chaudhary also received two additional honours. He was awarded the Orange Cap for being the top batsman of the league, scoring 322 runs in five matches, along with a prize of INR 20,000. Additionally, he won the prestigious Jai Hind Auto Tech Industries Player of the Tournament award, receiving INR 1,00,000.

Prashant Chauhan earned the Bowler of the League title by leading the wicket-takers chart, receiving the Purple Cap along with a cash prize of INR 20,000. Meanwhile, young opener Aarav Mahajan was honoured with the Emerging Player of the League award, also receiving a prize of INR 20,000.