UPT20 League 2026 Opening Ceremony Tickets Officially Launched at Ekana Stadium

Lucknow (Vatsal Verma) : The official schedule for the fourth season of the UP T20 League has been announced. According to the itinerary released by the league’s governing council, the tournament will run from August 14 to September 6. A total of 34 matches will be played during this 24-day cricketing extravaganza.

The fourth season of the UP T20 League kicked off on Monday at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Chief Guest Awanish Awasthi (Advisor to the Honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh) launched tickets for the league’s opening ceremony at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Renowned sitar player Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma and renowned singer Jasmine Sandlas will perform at the opening ceremony on August 14th at the Ekana Stadium. A grand drone show and fireworks display will create a spectacular spectacle, a first for Uttar Pradesh. Renowned anchor Jatin Sapru will host the ceremony.
In addition, 4,000 tickets for the opening ceremony were launched at discounted rates. Tickets for the Upper Block will be priced at ₹349 and for the Lower Block at ₹499, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. These tickets are also available on the District app.

Chief Guest Avnish Awasthi, while praising the organization of the league, said that Uttar Pradesh is continuously reaching new heights in cricket as well as other sports. He added that this year, six teams are participating in the league, which will once again provide a great platform for the state’s young cricketers to showcase their talent.

In his address, he highlighted the state government’s commitment to sports, stating that sports infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh is rapidly expanding. Following the conclusion of the league, Kanpur’s historic Green Park Stadium will be renovated. Furthermore, a new international-level stadium in Varanasi will soon be dedicated to the state, while the foundation stone for the international cricket stadium in Gorakhpur has already been laid. The state is poised to receive many modern sports facilities in the future.

The chief guest also emphasized the need to promote women’s cricket, suggesting that a women’s league be launched along the lines of the UP T20 League, with at least four teams participating in the initial phase. “If a team from Kanpur is included in this, I will fully support it,” he said. Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, Chairman of the Governing Council of the UP T20 League, gave a positive assurance, saying that this initiative would be seriously considered.

He also discussed the struggles and achievements of para-archer Sheetal Devi. He said that Sheetal Devi has brought glory to the country with her indomitable courage and talent and has become an inspiration for athletes. He mentioned Sheetal Devi, a Paralympic bronze medalist and World Championship gold medalist, who won a medal using her foot.

In his welcome address, Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, Chairman of the Governing Council of the UP T20 League, explained that for the first time, the league is being held in two cities. The first phase will be held at Lucknow’s Ekana Cricket Stadium from August 14th to 26th, where a total of 22 matches, including the opening ceremony, will be played. The second phase will then be held at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium from August 28th, where 12 matches will be played. The league’s final will be played in Kanpur on September 6th, with a grand closing ceremony. He added that the opening ceremony will be accompanied by colorful cultural performances.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association Secretary Prem Manohar Gupta. The event was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including UPCA Treasurer Sachin Anand Shukla, Uday Sinha, CMD of Ekana Cricket Stadium, Association CEO Ankit Chatterjee, Media Manager Mohammad Faheem, and UP T20 League Governing Council member Sanjeev Kumar Singh.