Kathmandu. A controversy has erupted in Kashmir over private cricket leagues. It is alleged that the organizers abandoned the tournament midway. The organisers have been accused of leaving the players and support staff without their payment and not even paying the hotel bills.
The Indian Haven Premier League (IHPL) was organised by the Youth Society of Punjab, a non-profit organisation. The cricket league had a successful start. International stars such as Chris Gayle and Devon Smith took part in the opening games. This gave the local players an opportunity to interact with these cricket legends.
After a few games, the tournament was stopped. There have been reports from international media that hotel owners and players are struggling to get their payments.
It is alleged that the organisers left Kashmir abruptly on the night of November 1. Only 12 matches were played in that time. The league kicked off on October 25 and was scheduled to run until November 8.
It is not yet clear why the organisers have returned, but local players have said the league matches have not been well received. Between 25,000 and 30,000 people were expected to attend. But that didn’t happen.
Meanwhile, the police said that a case of cheating and breach of trust has been filed and investigation has been started. According to local cricketers, only 400-500 people attended Chris Gayle’s first match. The organizers reduced the ticket price by a third, but the darshan did not increase.
The abrupt suspension of the league has led to anger and frustration among local cricketers. Former international cricketer Parvez Rasool termed the incident as unfortunate and demoralised budding cricketers in the Kashmir Valley. He blamed poor management for the situation.
Local cricketer Abid Nabi is known for his fast bowling. “This league would have been a great opportunity for local players to share the dressing room and gain experience with international cricketers. ’
For more than two weeks, organisers have been putting up hoardings and posters to promote the league. The league featured eight teams from the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh regions. He represented local and international players.
An employee of the Radis Collection Hotel in Srinagar said they were “shocked” after seeing the CCTV footage. The footage purportedly showed the organisers fleeing the hotel in the middle of the night.
The hotel owner complained that he had received only partial payment. The hotel tried to contact the organizers several times but to no avail.
England umpire Melissa Juniper said that many players were trapped inside the hotel for about 3 hours after the organisers fled. “We have reached an agreement with the hotel management to allow the players to return to their homes,” Juniper said. ’
Around 40 local and foreign players present at the hotel have complained that they have not been paid around Rs 5 million yet.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir administration has denied any responsibility for organising the league. Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner, J&K, made it clear that the administration’s role was limited to granting approvals for events and venues.
