The venue for the fourth edition of the UPT20 League remains undecided, with stakeholders continuing to weigh whether the tournament should be staged in Kanpur, shifted to Lucknow or shared between both cities, according to a report by The Times of India.
The uncertainty follows multiple rounds of discussions involving the Uttar Pradesh Sports Department, the UPT20 League Governing Council and the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), with officials yet to reach a final decision on where the competition will be played.
Infrastructure concerns remain at the heart of discussions
A key issue in the ongoing deliberations has been the suitability of Green Park Stadium in Kanpur to host the tournament.
UPCA Secretary Prem Manohar Gupta said the association had not planned to move the league away from Green Park but had been compelled to explore other options because of infrastructure challenges at the venue. He cited ageing facilities, inadequate floodlighting, limited spectator capacity and concerns over rain-related disruptions as the principal factors behind the discussions.
With talks still underway, organisers are assessing whether the tournament should remain in Kanpur, move to Lucknow’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium or be split between the two venues.
Social media post reignites venue debate
The issue drew renewed public attention after Kanpur MP Ramesh Awasthi posted on X that matches reportedly set to be shifted to Lucknow would instead be played at Green Park Stadium.
In the post, Awasthi described the development as good news for the people of Kanpur, thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for taking immediate cognisance of the matter and said the decision would help preserve the city’s sporting heritage while maintaining the significance of Green Park.
The post fuelled fresh speculation over whether the venue plans had changed, although officials have continued to stress that discussions remain ongoing.
Organisers urge patience before final decision
While debate over the venue continues, league organisers have urged stakeholders not to draw conclusions before the consultation process is complete.
Sanjay Kapoor, UPT20 League Governing Council Chairman, told TOI: “Don’t pay attention to rumours; we are making preparations. Under Rajiv Shukla’s guidance, the league will be executed in the best possible manner. Discussions are currently underway behind the scenes.”
A final decision on the tournament venue is expected once the current round of discussions between the relevant stakeholders concludes.
