NEW DELHI: The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) — a glittering T20 spectacle meant to carry international cricket to Jammu and Kashmir — imploded in a single day. Organisers allegedly fled Srinagar at midnight, abandoning unpaid payments, stranded gamers, and shocked resort employees.Former West Indies star Chris Gayle, New Zealand's Jesse Ryder, and Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera had headlined the short-lived event, organised by the Yuva Society, a non-profit targeted on youth improvement, in collaboration with the J&Ok Cricket Affiliation.By Sunday, nonetheless, the Bakshi Stadium lay abandoned, with round 40 gamers stranded in resorts, unpaid and confused.“Organisers have fled from the resort,” mentioned Mellissa Juniper, an English umpire. “They haven't paid the resort, the gamers, or the umpires. We've reached an settlement with the resort so gamers can go residence. It's unfair to maintain them right here away from their households.”At The Residency Resort, the place most members stayed, a senior official mentioned the Yuva Society had booked about 150 rooms for gamers 10 days earlier. “They promised a grand occasion with stars like Chris Gayle to spice up Kashmiri tourism,” the official mentioned. “On Sunday morning, we discovered that they had disappeared with out clearing dues. Some gamers, together with Gayle, had already checked out Saturday.”Former India all-rounder Parvez Rasool, who performed within the league, mentioned some gamers had been briefly stopped from leaving the resort till the matter reached international embassies. “An English umpire needed to contact the British embassy,” he mentioned.A high native participant alleged the organisers had misjudged the size and price of working such an occasion in Kashmir. “They gave us a uncommon probability to share dressing rooms with worldwide cricketers,” he mentioned. “However sponsors possible pulled out on the final second, and with low turnout, they ran out of funds. On the primary day, there have been no uniforms. They purchased them domestically. No participant contracts had been signed.”A J&Ok Sports activities Council official mentioned IHPL president Ashu Dani had sought and obtained police clearance and infrastructure assist. “They paid our price. Govt had no position in organising the league,” the official mentioned. “We don't know why it collapsed halfway.”But a authorities press launch dated October 22 indicated official involvement in preparations. Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg had chaired a gathering “to take first-hand appraisal of IHPL readiness,” predicting 25,000–30,000 spectators at Bakshi Stadium.The league, introduced on September 18, aimed to advertise grassroots cricket improvement, youth empowerment, and sports activities tourism within the area. IHPL mentor and former India cricketer Surinder Khanna had known as it “a golden alternative for Kashmir's youth” and vowed to “discover the subsequent Umran Malik or Parvez Rasool.”IHPL had listed 32 former worldwide gamers. Gayle's matches had been the one ones that drew crowds. Perera appeared in only one sport, whereas Richard Levi (South Africa) and Ayan Khan (Oman) additionally featured.The league had promised to run from October 23 to November 7, that includes eight groups comprising native, nationwide, and worldwide gamers. Actuality proved harsher. From day one, turnout was dismal, even after ticket costs had been slashed. Sponsors allegedly pulled out, and by the weekend, the dream had vanished into the Srinagar evening — together with the organisers.
