SRINAGAR: The Indian Heaven Premier League — a glittering T20 show meant to bring global cricket to J&K — imploded overnight. Organisers allegedly fled Srinagar at midnight, leaving behind unpaid bills, stranded players, and stunned hotel staff.
Former West Indies star Chris Gayle, New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder, and Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera had headlined the short-lived tournament organised by Yuva Society , a non-profit focused on youth development, in collaboration with J&K Cricket Association.
But by Sunday, the Bakshi Stadium was deserted, and around 40 players were marooned in hotels, unpaid and confused. “Organisers have fled from the hotel,” said Mellissa Juniper, an English umpire. “They have not paid the hotel, the players, or the umpires. We’ve reached an agreement with the hotel so players can go home. It’s unfair to keep them here away from their families.”
At The Residency Hotel, where most participants stayed, a senior official said Yuva Society had sought about 150 rooms for players 10 days ago. “They promised a grand event with stars like Chris Gayle to boost Kashmiri tourism,” the official said. “On Sunday morning, we found they had disappeared without clearing dues. Some players, including Gayle, had already checked out Saturday.”
Former India all-rounder Parvez Rasool, who played in the league, said some players were briefly stopped from leaving the hotel until the issue reached foreign embassies. “An English umpire had to contact the British embassy,” he said.
A top local player alleged the organisers had misjudged the scale and cost of running such an event in Kashmir. “They gave us a rare chance to share dressing rooms with international cricketers,” he said. “But sponsors likely pulled out at the last moment, and with low turnout, they ran out of funds. On the first day, there were no uniforms. They bought them locally. No player contracts were signed.”
A J&K Sports Council official said IHPL president Ashu Dani had sought and obtained police clearance and infrastructure. “They paid our fee. Govt had no role in organising the league,” the official said. “We don’t know why it collapsed midway.”
Yet, a govt press release from Oct 22 showed official involvement in preparations. Divisional commissioner Anshul Garg had chaired a meeting “to take first-hand appraisal of IHPL readiness,” predicting 25,000–30,000 spectators at Bakshi Stadium.
The league, announced on Sept 18, aimed to promote grassroots cricket development, youth empowerment, and sports tourism in the region. IHPL mentor and former India cricketer Surinder Khanna had called it “a golden opportunity for Kashmir’s youth” and vowed to “find the next Umran Malik or Parvez Rasool”.
IHPL had listed 32 former international players. Gayle’s matches were the only ones that drew crowds. Perera appeared in a single game, while Richard Levi of South Africa and Ayan Khan of Oman also featured.
The league had promised to run Oct 23–Nov 7, featuring eight teams of local, national, and international players. Reality proved harsher. From day one, turnout was dismal, even after ticket prices were slashed. Sponsors allegedly backed out, and by the weekend, the dream had vanished into the Srinagar night — along with the organisers.
Repeated calls to Khanna and the divisional commissioner went unanswered.
Former West Indies star Chris Gayle, New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder, and Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera had headlined the short-lived tournament organised by Yuva Society , a non-profit focused on youth development, in collaboration with J&K Cricket Association.
But by Sunday, the Bakshi Stadium was deserted, and around 40 players were marooned in hotels, unpaid and confused. “Organisers have fled from the hotel,” said Mellissa Juniper, an English umpire. “They have not paid the hotel, the players, or the umpires. We’ve reached an agreement with the hotel so players can go home. It’s unfair to keep them here away from their families.”
At The Residency Hotel, where most participants stayed, a senior official said Yuva Society had sought about 150 rooms for players 10 days ago. “They promised a grand event with stars like Chris Gayle to boost Kashmiri tourism,” the official said. “On Sunday morning, we found they had disappeared without clearing dues. Some players, including Gayle, had already checked out Saturday.”
Former India all-rounder Parvez Rasool, who played in the league, said some players were briefly stopped from leaving the hotel until the issue reached foreign embassies. “An English umpire had to contact the British embassy,” he said.
A top local player alleged the organisers had misjudged the scale and cost of running such an event in Kashmir. “They gave us a rare chance to share dressing rooms with international cricketers,” he said. “But sponsors likely pulled out at the last moment, and with low turnout, they ran out of funds. On the first day, there were no uniforms. They bought them locally. No player contracts were signed.”
A J&K Sports Council official said IHPL president Ashu Dani had sought and obtained police clearance and infrastructure. “They paid our fee. Govt had no role in organising the league,” the official said. “We don’t know why it collapsed midway.”
Yet, a govt press release from Oct 22 showed official involvement in preparations. Divisional commissioner Anshul Garg had chaired a meeting “to take first-hand appraisal of IHPL readiness,” predicting 25,000–30,000 spectators at Bakshi Stadium.
The league, announced on Sept 18, aimed to promote grassroots cricket development, youth empowerment, and sports tourism in the region. IHPL mentor and former India cricketer Surinder Khanna had called it “a golden opportunity for Kashmir’s youth” and vowed to “find the next Umran Malik or Parvez Rasool”.
IHPL had listed 32 former international players. Gayle’s matches were the only ones that drew crowds. Perera appeared in a single game, while Richard Levi of South Africa and Ayan Khan of Oman also featured.
The league had promised to run Oct 23–Nov 7, featuring eight teams of local, national, and international players. Reality proved harsher. From day one, turnout was dismal, even after ticket prices were slashed. Sponsors allegedly backed out, and by the weekend, the dream had vanished into the Srinagar night — along with the organisers.
Repeated calls to Khanna and the divisional commissioner went unanswered.
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