MPL 2026 Game 1: Gwalior Cheetahs vs Ujjain Falcons Match Preview, Playing XI, Pitch Report & Prediction

The Gwalior Cheetahs will face off against the newly debuted Ujjain Falcons in the opening match of the ⁠Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 2026. The season opener is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST at the iconic Holkar Stadium in Indore. Gwalior Cheetahs are widely considered the favourites heading into this clash due to their explosive top order and prior tournament experience, whereas Ujjain Falcons will make their league debut eager to secure an upset victory.

Match Overview

Team Analysis

Gwalior Cheetahs

The Outlook: After a strong run in the previous edition where they reached the semi-finals, the Cheetahs field a balanced team combination of youth and veteran experience. The squad is coached by Ranji Trophy-winning leader Aditya Srivastava.

Key Players: All eyes will be on their explosive captain, Rajat Patidar, whose high-calibre domestic and franchise experience anchors the top order. Key returning assets include Parth Chaudhary and leading bowler Mangesh Yadav, who took 14 wickets in the last edition.

Squad Members: Rajat Patidar (C), Parth Chaudhary, Kartik Parihar, Vandit Joshi, Harshvardhan Hardia, Mangesh Yadav, Arpit Patel, Parth Sahani, Anvesh Chawla, Vikas Sharma, Saumy Kumar Pandey, Akash Singh, Ishan Afridi, Anubhav Agarwal, Vishnu Bhardwaj, Akash Raghuvanshi, Inder Singh Banjara, Rakesh Thakur, Kuldeep Gehi.

Ujjain Falcons

The Outlook: Managed by head coach Sunil Sir, the Falcons enter the 2026 expansion season as one of three brand-new franchises. Observers tag their batting depth as a potential vulnerability, making a quick start imperative for their confidence.

Key Players: Recent Delhi Capitals recruit Madhav Tiwari is their marquee all-rounder whose bowling variations will dictate the mid-innings phase. He is well-supported by leg-break specialist Aayush Mankar and practice-match standout Ojaswa Yadav.

Squad Members: Chanchal Rathore (C), Madhav Tiwari, Yash Dubey, Aryan Pandey, Adheer Pratap Singh, Soham Patwardhan, Shubham Kushwah, Masoom Raza Kaif, Ojaswa Yadav, Gajendra Goswami, Aayush Mankar, Ankur Singh Chauhan, Rishi Miglani, Harshvardhan Hardia, Naveen Nagle, Vishesh Mudgal, and Darshan Rathore.

Pitch Report and Weather Forecast

Pitch Report: Holkar Stadium

The Holkar Stadium in Indore features a batting-friendly pitch with short boundaries that heavily favours batsmen, while the weather forecast for tomorrow evening indicates warm, partly cloudy conditions with minimal chance of rain during match hours. The black soil pitch offers an even bounce, making it easy for top-order batsmen to play their shots freely right from the start. Square and straight boundaries are significantly shorter than average, leading to high-scoring encounters and plenty of sixes. As it is a night match starting at 7:30 PM IST, dew is expected to play a major role in the second innings. This will make it difficult for spinners to grip the ball, making winning the toss and opting to bowl first the preferred strategy.

Weather Forecast

The afternoon might see scattered pre-monsoon showers or a thunderstorm, but conditions will clear up right in time for the game. By first ball, temperatures will hover around 29°C, offering a clear window for uninterrupted play.  

Toss and Winner Prediction

Toss Prediction  

Winner Prediction  

Probable Playing 11

Gwalior Cheetahs: Rajat Patidar (Captain), Parth Chaudhary, Vandit Joshi, Kartik Parihar, Vikas Sharma (Wicket-keeper), Arpit Patel, Anubhav Agarwal, Mangesh Yadav, Saumy Kumar Pandey, Akash Singh Raghuwanshi, and Ishan Afridi.

Ujjain Falcons: Chanchal Rathore (Captain & Wicket-keeper), Yash Dubey, Adheer Pratap Singh, Soham Patwardhan, Ojaswa Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Shubham Kushwah, Aayush Mankar, Aryan Pandey, Masoom Raza Kaif, and Gajendra Goswami.