Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Yash Dayal has been barred from participating in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh T20 League following serious legal allegations, including the alleged rape of a minor and a separate sexual exploitation case.
According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has decided not to allow the 27-year-old left-arm pacer to compete in the tournament, which begins on August 17. Dayal was signed by the Gorakhpur Lions for ₹7 lakh at this year’s auction. A UPCA official reportedly instructed the franchise not to field him until the matter is resolved.
However, Gorakhpur Lions owner Vishesh Gaur has claimed that “no such information has been communicated to the management by the UPCA.”
Details of the allegations
Dayal faces multiple legal cases. In the most recent, an FIR was registered last month at Jaipur’s Sanganer Police Station, accusing him of raping a minor over a period of two years while allegedly emotionally blackmailing her. The complaint states the first incident occurred when the girl was 17, at a hotel in Sitapura, after Dayal allegedly promised to help her cricket career. The case has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
On August 6, the Rajasthan High Court refused to grant Dayal interim protection from arrest, with Justice Sudesh Bansal citing the seriousness of the allegations and the complainant’s age. The next hearing is scheduled for August 22. Dayal’s lawyer, Kunal Jaiman, has argued that the charges are part of “a conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the cricketer’s reputation.”
Separately, Dayal is also accused of sexual exploitation by a woman from Ghaziabad, who claims he abused her during a five-year relationship after promising marriage. The FIR, filed at Indirapuram Police Station, charges him under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Allahabad High Court has stayed his arrest in this case and directed that no coercive action be taken until the next hearing.
IPL career overshadowed
Dayal, who has yet to represent India, has played 43 IPL matches, taking 41 wickets at an economy rate close to 10 runs per over. He made his debut with Gujarat Titans in 2022, claiming 11 wickets in their title-winning season. In 2023, he faced a high-profile moment when Rinku Singh of Kolkata Knight Riders hit him for five consecutive sixes in the final over of a match.
In 2024, RCB bought Dayal at auction, and he claimed 15 wickets that season. Retained for 2025, he took 13 more scalps in 15 matches, playing a key role in RCB’s maiden IPL title win earlier this year.
With his cricket career now on hold and legal proceedings underway, Yash Dayal faces significant challenges both on and off the field.
