Latest news with #UPCA
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav Named In Central Zone Squad
Dhruv Jurel, who impressed during India's series-levelling tour of England, was on Thursday named captain of Central Zone for the season-opening Duleep Trophy, set to begin on August 28 in Bengaluru. The Uttar Pradesh keeper was drafted in as a substitute stumper after Rishabh Pant sustained a finger injury during the third Test at Lord's. He kept wickets again in the fourth Test after Pant fractured his toe, and was later picked for the fifth and final match at The Oval, where India clinched a thrilling six-run win to level the hard-fought series 2-2. The squad also includes left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and he's set to return to competitive action after warming the bench in the five-Test series. Kuldeep will form a potent spin trio alongside left-arm spinners Harsh Dubey of reigning Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha and Rajasthan's Manav Suthar. Dubey created history last season by claiming a record-breaking 69 wickets in a single Ranji season. The pace attack will be spearheaded by Khaleel Ahmed, who is returning after cutting short his county stint with Essex due to personal reasons. He is likely to share the new ball with Deepak Chahar, who is back in the mix after recovering from an injury sustained in the IPL. Chahar had missed two matches for Mumbai Indians but was recently seen bowling at India's nets at The Oval. The batting is bolstered by Vidarbha's Yash Rathod, the top run-scorer of the last Ranji Trophy with 960 runs. His teammate Danish Malewar, who struck 153 and 73 in the final against Kerala, has also been rewarded as four players from Vidarbha were named in the squad. Vidarbha's Ranji Trophy-winning coach Usman Ghani was named the head coach of the team. Central Zone Squad: Dhruv Jurel (capt and wk; UPCA), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain; MPCA), Aryan Juyal (wk; UPCA), Ayush Pandey (CSCS), Danish Malewar (VCA), Shubham Sharma (MPCA), Sanchit Desai (CSCS), Yash Rathod (VCA), Kuldeep Yadav (UPCA), Harsh Dubey (VCA), Aditya Thakre (VCA), Manav Suthar (RCA), Deepak Chahar (RCA), Khaleel Ahmed (RCA), Saransh Jain (MPCA). Stand-bys: Mahipal Lomror (RCA), Yash Thakur (VCA), Madhav Kaushik (UPCA), Kuldeep Sen (MPCA), Yuvraj Chaudhary (CAU), Upendra Yadav (wk; RSPB).
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
UPT20 league set to bea star-studded affair
1 2 Lucknow: The third season of UPT20 league which will take off at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Aug 17 is set to be a star-studded affair. According to senior officials of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), the opening ceremony is likely to feature the performances of Bollywood actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Disha Patani, and singer Sunidhi Chauhan. Vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Rajeev Shukla and UPCA president Nidhipati Singhania will attend the inauguration ceremony. "All necessary arrangements have been made for the launch of UPT20 league. The event will captivate the audience with an exhilarating start, showcasing six teams from Uttar Pradesh – Kanpur Superstars, Meerut Mavericks, Noida Kings, Gorakhpur Lions, Lucknow Falcons and Kashi Rudras," an official said. "The matches will be telecast on Sony Ten and Sony Liv. All 34 matches will be held in Lucknow. The first match will be played between defending champion Meerut Mavericks and Kanpur Superstars on Aug 17," he added.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Ekana to host UPT20 League from Aug 17
1 2 Lucknow: The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Cricket Stadium is all set to host the 3rd edition of the UPT20 League from Aug 17 to Sept 6. This will be the second time that Lucknow hosts this mega state-level domestic league. There had been buzz in the cricket fraternity over the past few months about the league being hosted in a hybrid mode between Lucknow and Kanpur. However, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on Thursday confirmed that Ekana will exclusively host the state's own T20 league for the second consecutive year. A senior UPCA official told TOI that all 34 matches of the tournament will be played at Ekana, and top Bollywood stars and singers are expected to perform at the opening ceremony. A month ago, the mini-auction for the UPT20 League was held in Lucknow. Six franchises participated in the auction for the third edition. The UP T20 League is proving to be a boon for emerging cricketers, with players like Sameer Rizvi, Vipraj Nigam, and Zeeshan Ansari earning IPL contracts after their stellar performances in the tournament.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
After CM rap on ‘long delayed' project, GDA says ready to take over cricket stadium project
Ghaziabad: In the works since 2014, the state's plan to build an international cricket stadium in Ghaziabad is likely to finally see progress after chief minister Yogi Adityanath's intervention. Stuck primarily due to an impasse over FAR (floor area ratio) between UP Cricket Association and GDA, the 55,000-seater stadium is one of NCR's most delayed projects. Last week, after instructions from the CM to expedite work, GDA said it is ready to take over the Rs 450-crore project within 15 days. It has, so far, been playing a facilitator's role to UP Cricket Association (UPCA). "On June 26, the CM, while addressing the press in Ghaziabad's Mansarovar Bhawan, said BCCI wanted to make a cricket stadium in Ghaziabad, but due to some reasons, it has not happened. Subsequently, GDA was directed to acquire land, complete the stadium and manage it too," GDA vice chairperson Atul Vats told TOI. "After a series of meetings with the UPCA's stadium committee convenor, Rakesh Mishra, it was decided GDA will take up the project now. " You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida The international stadium was conceived in 2014, and over the years, UPCA and BCCI purchased land from farmers with Ghaziabad Development Authority facilitating the deals. In 2019, CM Yogi Adityanath performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium. There was almost no progress till last March, when BCCI's Rajeev Shukla and former Ghaziabad MP VK Singh laid a foundation stone for the project. Naresh Chand, a Morti farmer whose land was acquired for the project, said, "Land was purchased from us at a rate of Rs 46 lakh per square yard. Revenue records show the land will be used for a cricket stadium. We had hoped that once ready, the cricket stadium would encourage youths to take up the sport and push local businesses too. But after so many years, the land lies unutilised." According to Vats, the construction was delayed as UPCA and GDA sparred over FAR—the built-up area to be allowed—and land use. According to the initial plan, the stadium was to come up on 31 acres. Of this, a 23-acre area was earmarked for the construction of the stadium and the rest was to be used for commercial activities. "As per GDA's building bylaws, the permissible FAR for land under the recreational green category is 0.1, but UPCA wanted a higher built-up area of 1.2 and 1.5, which is typically allocated for land under mixed use category. It is for the state govt to alter land use categories," Vats said, adding that a proposal to change land use category could not be sent to the state govt over the years pending the sale deeds of the 31 acres acquired for the project. Mishra, meanwhile, told TOI that they apprised GDA about issues that were holding up the project. "As of today, we can only say that UPCA can still develop the stadium, provided the issues are addressed," he said.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Nitish Rana gets NOC from UPCA
Lucknow: After two seasons of highs and lows with Uttar Pradesh, Nitish Rana has decided to return to his native state. The Rajasthan Royals batsman also received the no objection certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), which he had sought due to family commitments. The 31-year-old Rana had moved to Uttar Pradesh in 2023 but did not have a very successful stint, either as a player or as captain. He had joined the Uttar Pradesh team in search of greener pastures and was even handed the captaincy, but failed to make the most of the opportunity. The southpaw played 10 matches in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 447 runs in 15 innings at an average of 31.92. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he managed only 72 runs in 7 matches, averaging 18.00. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he again failed to make a significant impact, scoring 314 runs in 16 matches at an average of 22.42. With the ball, he took three wickets in 10 Ranji matches at an economy of 2.98. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he claimed 7 wickets in 7 matches with an economy of 5.31, while in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20), he picked up 8 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 6.64. UPCA CEO Ankit Chatterjee said, "Rana applied for the NOC due to family commitments, and we issued it to him ahead of the upcoming red-ball season." Earlier, Bagpat lad and experienced player Saurabh Kumar also took an NOC from UP and has decided to play for Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming season.
