Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacerYash Dayal is poised to return to competitive cricket after spending more than a year from competitive cricket.
The left-arm seamer has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), paving the way for his participation in the upcoming edition of the UPT20 League.
According to a report in the Times of India, the UPT20 League governing council is planning to conduct its mini-auction in mid-July. While Lucknow has traditionally hosted league-related events, the organizers are exploring alternative venues such as Agra and Noida as part of efforts to expand the tournament’s reach across the state.
The governing council chairman, Sanjay Kapoor, confirmed that discussions regarding the venue are currently underway.
“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 upcoming season, franchises have started finalizing their retention lists. Meerut Mavericks have retained prominent names such as Rinku Singh, Kartik Tyagi, and Zeeshan Ansari. Meanwhile, Gorakhpur Lions have decided to continue with Aryan Juyal, Yash Dayal, and Siddhartha Yadav.
Kapoor confirmed that Dayal remains a part of the Gorakhpur Lions setup and will be available for the tournament, marking an important step in his return to competitive cricket.
UPCA secretary Prem Manohar Gupta also revealed that the association will issue an NOC to the pacer following the resolution of all legal matters concerning him.
“UPCA will give an NOC to Yash Dayal for playing domestic and league cricket because all legal proceedings have been settled,” Gupta said.
Dayal’s return comes after an extended absence from professional cricket. Although he was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluruahead of the IPL 2025 season, he did not feature in the tournament. His most recent IPL appearance came for RCB against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad during the 2025 campaign.
In domestic cricket, the left-arm pacer last represented Uttar Pradesh in a Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture against Chhattisgarh in Vizianagaram on December 28, 2024. His latest first-class outing was against Haryana in Lucknow between October 18 and 21, 2024.
Recently, Dayal was seen in action for Ghaziabad Royals in the Ghaziabad Premier League, which concluded earlier this week.
