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Follow UsThe second edition of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League has been a great platform for domestic talent from UP to showcase their skills, with the spotlight being bright. The success of the first season was big as Sameer Rizvi and Swastik Chikara earned IPL contracts, with Rizvi playing as many as eight games for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
With the second season coming to a close, let us look at the individuals who impressed; those who could possibly land an IPL contract at the mega auction.
Swastik Chikara (Meerut Mavricks)
Swastik Chikara has been the best batter in UPT20 League across the first two seasons. He was the second highest run-getter in the inaugural edition which resulted in him getting picked up by the Delhi Capitals. However, the 19-year-old did not make it to the playing XI.
This season, the right hand opening batter has been in terrific form, scoring 437 runs at an explosive strike rate of 184. He has smashed four fifties and a century in 11 games. The consistency he showcased might end up helping him not just land an IPL contract once again, but break into the playing XI of a franchise.
Zeeshan Ansari (Meerut Mavricks)
Zeeshan Ansari, the right-arm leg spinner, is making use of the big platform as he is the highest wicket taker in UPT20 2024, taking 23 wickets at a strike rate of 9.9. He has gone wicketless only once in 11 games in this tournament. The 24-year-old has been successful in both middle and death overs, particularly in the final five overs. He's taken 9 wickets in the 10 overs he's bowled in the 16-20 phase.
Vipraj Nigam (Lucknow Falcons)
Vipraj Nigam is having a season to remember in UPT20 2024. The right-arm leggie has been excellent while defending totals as he has picked 14 wickets in five innings while bowling second compared to six wickets in six innings while bowling first. He has managed his variations well, getting success in both the leg break and the googly. While the stock ball has yielded him 13 wickets, the rest of the wickets have come via googly.
Sunil Kumar (Kashi Rudras)
Sunil Kumar has been the best pacer in UPT20 2024. The left-arm pacer took just one wicket in five games in the 2023 season, but he's stepped up big time this edition, taking 19 wickets in 11 games.
Sunil has been the slog over specialist in the competition as he has taken 11 of his 19 wickets in the final five overs. The left-arm seamer has a good collection of variations as he has taken multiple wickets with off cutters and back-of-a-hand deliveries.
Aryan Juyal (Gorakhpur Lions)
Aryan Juyal played multiple exceptional knocks in UPT20 2024. He was only available for the first three games for the Gorakhpur team as he was selected in the India C team for the Duleep Trophy 2024. But he still managed to make a big impact, scoring 216 runs in three games at a strike rate of 162. He started off with a match winning hundred against Noida and followed it two consecutive fifties in the next two games. He bashed the spinners everywhere, scoring at a strike rate of 200 with 10 maximums against the tweakers.
Abdul Rehman (Gorakhpur Lions)
Abdul Rehman continued to shine under the spotlight in UPT20. The left-arm pacer, who took 14 wickets in the previous season, he took nine wickets at an economy of 9.2 this season. Rehman won the Player of the Match award in two of the three games that the Lions won. He was excellent in slog overs, picking eight of his nine wickets in this phase.
Rehman is someone who has a good set of variations as he is not only capable of moving the ball, but also is an individual who mixes it up nicely with off-cutters and slower ones.
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