Haridwar Elmas emerged victorious in the Uttarakhand Premier League 2025, defeating Nainital Tigers in the final to claim the title by 4 wickets. The leadership and batting of their captain, Kunal Chandela, were instrumental to their success. Chandela’s performance was not only vital for his team but also positioned him as the leading batsman in the league. His contributions as an opening batsman proved to be essential for his team’s championship run.
Chandela led the UPLT20 2025 in runs, accumulating 455 runs. He hit 22 sixes across 7 matches. His scoring included two centuries and two half-centuries, making him the only player to surpass 450 runs. His strike rate for the tournament was 177, and he was awarded the Player of the Tournament.
In the final, Nainital Tigers scored 148 runs, losing 6 wickets in 20 overs. Haridwar Elmas successfully chased the target, scoring 149 runs with 4 balls to spare, while losing 6 wickets. In the final match, Kunal Chandela, the captain of Haridwar Elmas, was the highest scorer. He scored 33 runs in 19 balls, maintaining a strike rate of over 173.
Chandela’s championship celebration was a nod to Rohit Sharma, as he celebrated in a similar style to Sharma after winning the T20 World Cup 2024.
Interestingly, Chandela shares a birthday, July 7th, with MS Dhoni.