UPT20: Abhinandan's 4/30 fires Lucknow Falcons to 3-wicket win vs Noida
Synopsis
A five-wicket collapse in the fifth over and a last-over finish — Match 6 of the UP T20 League had it all. Abhinandan Singh's 4/30 dismantled Noida Kings, but UPCA Speed Hunt find Shubham Gautam's 3/22 nearly turned the tables before Sameer Choudhary's nerve held Lucknow Falcons to a dramatic three-wicket win.
Key Takeaways
Lucknow Falcons beat Noida Kings by 3 wickets in UP T20 League Match 6 on 17 August at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow .
Abhinandan Singh (RCB) claimed 4/30 to win Player of the Match ; Navneet Kumar added 3/33 .
Noida Kings were bowled out for 136 after collapsing to 48/5 in the fifth over.
Aaradhya Yadav scored 51 off 42 balls to anchor the chase before UPCA Speed Hunt find Shubham Gautam (3/22) made it a thriller.
Sameer Choudhary's unbeaten 28 off 19 balls sealed the win in the final over.
Gautam, bought for ₹21.5 lakh through the UPCA 'Speed Hunt' programme, was the standout performer in defeat.
Lucknow Falcons edged past Noida Kings by three wickets in a tense, low-scoring Match 6 of the UP T20 League at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on 17 August, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Abhinandan Singh's four-wicket haul proving the decisive factor. Sameer Choudhary's unbeaten 28 off 19 balls in the final over sealed a dramatic finish that went down to the wire.
Noida Kings Collapse Under Pressure
After Lucknow Falcons skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the toss and elected to bowl, Noida Kings made a steady start with a 34-run opening partnership. The collapse began in the fourth over when Navneet Kumar dismissed Shoaib Siddiqui, triggering a dramatic slide.
The fifth over proved catastrophic for Noida. Abhinandan Singh clean-bowled twice and Priyam Garg executed a direct-hit run-out, reducing the Kings to a precarious 48/5. Shiva Singh attempted a counter-attack, smashing three consecutive sixes off Delhi Capitals' Vipraj Nigam in the eighth over, but Navneet ended that resistance in the very next over to claim his third wicket.
A gritty 49-run eighth-wicket stand between Bobby Yadav and Kartik Siddhu added some respectability before Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Siddhu in the penultimate over. Abhinandan returned to mop up the tail with two wickets in the final over, bundling Noida out for 136. His figures of 4/30 earned him the Player of the Match award, while Navneet Kumar finished with 3/33.
Falcons' Nervy Chase Keeps Fans on Edge
Chasing 137, the Falcons stumbled early, losing two wickets to slump to 41/2. Speed Hunt sensation Shubham Gautam drew first blood in the chase, dismissing Mohammad Saif to announce his arrival on the UP T20 League stage.
Wicketkeeper-batter Aaradhya Yadav steadied the innings with a composed 51 off 42 balls, keeping the chase on course. However, Gautam swung the match back in Noida's favour with a sensational 16th over, dismissing the well-set Aaradhya and removing Impact Player Ali Zafir Mohsin for a duck. The Falcons were suddenly in trouble at 108/6, needing 29 runs from 24 deliveries.
Sameer Choudhary held his nerve under intense pressure, compiling an unbeaten 28 off 19 balls and hitting the winning runs in the 20th over to complete a three-wicket triumph with 4 balls to spare.
Speed Hunt Star Shubham Gautam Shines in Defeat
Despite Noida's loss, young pacer Shubham Gautam — scouted through the UPCA 'Speed Hunt' grassroots initiative and secured for ₹21.5 lakh at auction — justified his price tag with exceptional figures of 3/22 in four overs. His ability to hit the deck hard and take wickets at crucial junctures underscored the value of the state's talent-identification programme.
Inauguration and Key Dignitaries
The match was officially inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Minister for Khadi and Village Industries, Sericulture, Handloom, and Textiles, Rakesh Sachan, who conducted the toss and performed the traditional Bell Ringing Ceremony. He was joined by UP T20 League Governing Council Chairman Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, Governing Council Member Sanjeev Kumar Singh, and Organising Committee members Mohanlal Agrawal and Faisal Sherwani.
Brief Scores
Lucknow Falcons: 137/7 in 19.2 overs (Aaradhya Yadav 51, Sameer Choudhary 28*; Shubham Gautam 3/22) beat Noida Kings: 136 all out in 20 overs (Abhinandan Singh 4/30, Navneet Kumar 3/33) by 3 wickets.
With this win, Lucknow Falcons climb the standings and will look to carry momentum into their next fixture.
Point of View
But Shubham Gautam's 3/22 — from a pacer sourced through a state-run speed hunt — was the more telling story. The UPCA's talent-scouting model is producing cricketers who can hold their own against established franchise names, which matters far beyond one league result. What the match also exposed is how brittle middle orders remain across UP T20 sides: a single chaotic over can swing a game entirely, and neither team showed the depth to absorb that pressure comfortably.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won UP T20 League Match 6 between Lucknow Falcons and Noida Kings?
Lucknow Falcons won Match 6 of the UP T20 League by three wickets on 17 August at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. They chased down 137 in 19.2 overs, with Sameer Choudhary's unbeaten 28 sealing the win in the final over.
What were Abhinandan Singh's figures in the UP T20 League match?
Abhinandan Singh took 4 wickets for 30 runs in his four overs, including two wickets in a decisive fifth over and two more in the final over to bowl Noida Kings out for 136. He was named Player of the Match.
Who is Shubham Gautam and why is he significant?
Shubham Gautam is a young pacer scouted through the UPCA 'Speed Hunt' grassroots talent programme and bought for ₹21.5 lakh in the auction. He claimed 3/22 for Noida Kings and nearly turned the match with two wickets in the 16th over of the chase.
How did Lucknow Falcons win despite a tense finish?
Lucknow Falcons were in trouble at 108/6, needing 29 runs from 24 balls, before Sameer Choudhary played an unbeaten knock of 28 off 19 deliveries to guide them home with 4 balls to spare.
Where was UP T20 League Match 6 played?
The match was played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and was inaugurated by state minister Rakesh Sachan.
