Yash Dayal set to return, UPT20 mini-auction in July

Lucknow: Out of action for over a year due to personal reasons, Uttar Pradesh pacer Yash Dayal is set to return to the UPT20 League, with the league’s governing council considering holding the mini-auction in mid-July, with Agra and Noida emerging as possible venues.

The governing council is exploring options outside Lucknow as part of its plan to expand the reach of the tournament. However, Lucknow remains the backup venue if logistical arrangements, including hotel availability, are not finalised in Agra or Noida.

Talking to TOI, UPT20 League governing council chairman Sanjay Kapoor said the council is looking at new cities to promote the league on a larger scale. “We will conduct the UPT20 League mini-auction in mid-July. We are looking at holding it in new cities such as Agra and Noida. We want to promote the league on a larger scale, which is why we are considering these venues. If hotel arrangements are not feasible in Agra or Noida, Lucknow will remain our venue for the mini-auction,” Kapoor said.

Ahead of the new season, two teams have submitted their retention lists to the governing council. Meerut Mavericks have retained key players Rinku Singh, Kartik Tyagi and Zeeshan Ansari, while Gorakhpur Lions have retained Aryan Juyal, Yash Dayal and Siddhartha Yadav.

Kapoor confirmed that Dayal has been retained by Gorakhpur Lions and will be available for the tournament.

UPCA secretary Prem Manohar Gupta also said the association will issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Dayal for domestic and league cricket. “UPCA will give an NOC to Yash Dayal for playing domestic and league cricket because all legal proceedings have been settled,” Gupta said.

Dayal was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the IPL 2025 season but was unavailable for the tournament. He last featured for RCB against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad during the 2025 season.
131959276
In domestic cricket, Dayal last played a List A match for Uttar Pradesh against Chhattisgarh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Vizianagaram on Dec28, 2024. His last first-class appearance came against Haryana in Lucknow from Oct18 to 21, 2024. He was also recently seen playing for Ghaziabad Royals in the Ghaziabad Premier League, which concluded on Sunday.