UNSW crowned UniSport Nationals T20 champions once again

The defending UniSport Nationals T20 champions successfully retained their national crown on the Sunshine Coast, completing an unbeaten campaign to defeat cross-town rivals the University of Sydney by nine wickets in the grand final.

After making history by claiming the inaugural UniSport Nationals T20 title in 2025, a triumph that also earned the team the 2025 UNSW Sport UniSport Award, the challenge this year was altogether different. No longer the hunters, UNSW arrived as the reigning champions with every team eager to end their reign.

Instead, captain Akshay Prasan, vice-captain Ethan Jamieson and their squad produced another remarkable campaign, winning all six matches to cement their place as the benchmark of university T20 cricket in Australia.

UNSW made the perfect start, defeating the University of Sydney by 14 runs before edging Monash University by 12 runs.

The team’s most dominant display came against the University of Queensland, where Arnav Raina produced one of the innings of the tournament, blasting a magnificent 114 from just 62 deliveries. Supported by Mac Webster’s composed 59, UNSW piled on 3/186 before Ryan Gupta starred with the ball, claiming 4/13 in a commanding 73-run victory.

The pool stage concluded with another emphatic performance against Griffith University. Matthew Hield (29), Advith Boreddy (22) and Arnav Raina (38 not out) guided UNSW to 7/143 before the bowling attack dismantled Griffith for just 69. Captain Akshay Prasan led from the front with outstanding figures of 3/8 as UNSW completed a perfect 4-0 group stage to finish on top of Pool A.

UNSW’s unbeaten run continued with a composed 24-run quarter-final victory over Murdoch University. Aryan Rodrigues rescued the innings with a brilliant unbeaten 49 from just 25 balls, while William Zakostelsky contributed a valuable 23 to lift UNSW to 7/147. Ethan Jamieson (2/19), Ryan Gupta (1/12) and the rest of the bowling attack then combined to restrict Murdoch to 8/123 and secure a place in the semi-finals.

The semi-final against the University of Technology Sydney proved to be the tournament’s defining moment. Arnav Raina once again led the way with a superb 75 from 48 balls as UNSW posted 5/144. UTS responded with an outstanding chase, taking the match down to the final delivery. With three runs required from the last ball, Ryan Gupta held his nerve to complete a match-winning run out, sealing a thrilling two-run victory and sending the defending champions into a second consecutive national final.

A grand final against cross-town rivals the University of Sydney provided a fitting stage for the tournament decider. After already beating them game 1 of the pool stages, USYD was on a mission for revenge. They looked well placed at 6/106 before UNSW produced a stunning finish with the ball. Ethan Jamieson and William Zakostelsky combined to rip through the tail, with the pair helping restrict Sydney to just 115 after claiming the final four wickets for only nine runs in the last two overs.

Jamieson was outstanding with figures of 4/15 from four overs, while Zakostelsky finished with 2/15 and Nishanth Regulagedda claimed an important 2/11. The chase began in the worst possible fashion when Nirav Prasan fell from the opening delivery, but any concerns quickly disappeared. Mac Webster and Arnav Raina produced a magnificent, unbeaten 118-run partnership to take complete control of the contest. Webster anchored the innings with a composed 50 not out, while Raina finished unbeaten on 66 from 44 balls.

With victory within touching distance, Raina ensured there would be no late drama, launching three consecutive sixes in the 14th over to seal the championship in spectacular fashion and spark jubilant celebrations as UNSW secured back-to-back national titles.

Reflecting on the achievement, captain Akshay Prasan said retaining the title made the accomplishment even more rewarding.

“It’s really special to go back-to-back in such a competitive tournament, and to do it in such comprehensive fashion against our cross-town rivals makes it even sweeter.

“Full credit has to go to every single one of the boys. This was a genuine team effort, with everyone contributing at different stages of the week, and that meant no one ever felt the pressure.

“Overall, it was another fantastic week. We had so much fun together, and for me personally, it was the perfect way to sign off.”

Prasan’s final UniSport Nationals tournament ended in the perfect fashion, lifting the trophy once again after leading the side through another unbeaten championship campaign.

While several individual performances captured the headlines, UNSW’s title defence was built on contributions from across the entire squad.

Raina starred with a century against Queensland before producing match-winning innings in both the semi-final and grand final. Webster consistently provided stability at the top of the order, Jamieson delivered with the ball whenever it mattered most, while Gupta’s outstanding tournament included four wickets against Queensland and the unforgettable final ball run out that booked UNSW’s place in the championship decider.

A massive congratulations to the championship-winning squad Advith Boreddy, Matthew Hield, Ryan Gupta, Nirav Prasan, Arnav Raina, Atharv Ramakanth, Nishanth Regulagedda, Aryan Rodrigues, Harrison Valenzisi, Mac Webster, William Zakostelsky, Ethan Jamieson and captain Akshay Prasan, whose collective efforts delivered another unforgettable week for UNSW cricket. Special mention to Dan Kwon from Arc Sport, coach of the squad, being with them all week and ensuring not only a championship but a safe week for our boys up on the Gold Coast.

Six matches. Six victories. Two consecutive national championships.

UNSW’s reign over university T20 cricket continues.