In what was billed as a landmark T20 tournament for the region, the inaugural Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir — aimed at promoting youth cricket and boosting sports-tourism — has ended in disarray with organisers reportedly fleeing the venue and leaving players, umpires and hotel staff stranded.
The league, which was scheduled to run from late October until early November and featured eight teams, both local and international players, including marquee names such as Chris Gayle, was meant to play at the Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.
However, on Sunday night (Nov 2), organisers reportedly abandoned the event and disappeared overnight, leaving behind unpaid hotel bills, stranded players and officials, and cancelled matches.
One umpire, Mellissa Juniper, who travelled from England, said in a media statement:
“The league has had to finish early… Hotels haven’t been paid… The league management is nowhere to be seen.”
Reports indicate that more than 40 players and support staff were staying in a hotel in Srinagar and had not been paid their dues. The hotel was allegedly locked without settlement of bills, and some players were reportedly told “not to come to the stadium” because of so-called “technical issues”.
Some of the key issues that surfaced:
-
Matches scheduled for 1–2 November were cancelled after players declined to take the field citing non-payment of dues.
-
Many international players reportedly left the venue before the collapse, sensing trouble.
-
The local sports council clarified it was not organising the event and merely provided the venue; the tournament was privately run.
-
Spectators and ticket-buyers were left disappointed: people who had purchased ₹1,000 tickets arrived at the stadium to find closed ticket-counters and no announcements regarding refunds.
Originally, organisers had pitched the event as a stepping-stone for local talent in Jammu & Kashmir, aiming to blend grassroots players with international stars. Yet the abrupt breakdown of logistics, failure to pay vendors, and lack of transparent communication have cast a shadow over the league’s aspirations and its credibility going forward.
In an official statement, a spokesperson for the organising body said they were “studying the situation and will attempt to settle outstanding payments”, though no concrete timeline was provided as of Monday afternoon.
The incident raises tougher questions about governance, financial oversight and viability of privately-organised sports leagues in regions with emerging infrastructure. As one senior pundit noted, “It’s not just about the match on the field, it’s about who’s backing the match off the field.”
For local cricket stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir — from young hopefuls to academy coaches — the hope of a sustained professional platform may have taken a hit. Whether the IHPL recovers its reputation or the region pivots to other formats remains to be seen.
