Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 31 (ANI): Noida Kings secured their spot in the UP T20 League 2026 playoffs with a dramatic five-wicket victory over the Meerut Mavericks in a rain-curtailed Match 27.

Played at Kanpur's historic Green Park Stadium, a venue that has hosted 40 international matches, the thrilling win not only booked Noida's ticket to the Eliminator but also handed the table-topping Meerut Mavericks their very first defeat of the season, according to a release.

The evening faced severe weather interruptions. Initially reduced to a 15-over-a-side contest, Meerut Mavericks skipper Divyansh Joshi won the toss and opted to bat first. However, just two deliveries and five runs into the match, heavy rain forced the players off the field again.

Following the relentless efforts of the ground staff, the match was eventually reduced to a high-stakes five-over contest. When play resumed, Swastik Chikara attempted to give Meerut a swift start but was dismissed for 14 off 9 balls, courtesy of a sharp stumping by wicketkeeper Aditya Sharma off the bowling of Prashant Veer.

The rest of the innings belonged entirely to Shiva Singh. The Noida bowler delivered a spectacular and devastating spell, taking a hat-trick split across his two overs (wickets on balls 2.5, 2.6, and 4.1). He completely dismantled the Mavericks' batting order, claiming a five-wicket haul and finishing with extraordinary figures of 5/6.

Shiva Singh's milestone makes him only the second bowler in UP T20 League history to take a hat-trick, following Kartik Tyagi, and marks the first hat-trick of the current season. Constricted by the brilliant bowling, Meerut could only manage 33/7 in their allotted five overs, as per the release.

Adjusted by the DLS method, the Noida Kings were set a target of 35 runs. The chase began with a slight stutter as opener Madhav Kaushik fell in the very first over to Aarush Goel.

However, Impact Player Ravi Singh quickly swung the momentum in Noida's favor. Singh played a brief but decisive cameo, smashing 17 runs off just 6 deliveries, which included back-to-back sixes off Nadeem in the second over.

Nadeem responded brilliantly, taking three wickets in the next four deliveries to inject sudden tension into the match. Ansh Dwivedi then dismissed the hero of the first innings, Shiva Singh, in the fourth over. Despite the flurry of wickets, the required rate was always well within reach. The Noida Kings crossed the finish line in 3.3 overs, sealing a five-wicket win.

With this result, the Noida Kings finish their league stage campaign with 10 points, securing five wins and five losses across their 10 games. They officially became the third team to qualify for the playoffs alongside the Meerut Mavericks and Lucknow Falcons and will now prepare for the Eliminator clash. (ANI)