A privately run cricket tournament, the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), promoted by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council and featuring former West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, has been abruptly halted after organisers cancelled matches, disappeared, and failed to pay players, umpires, or hotel bills.
The league, which began on 25 October at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar and was scheduled to conclude with a final on 8 November, involved eight teams and 27 matches. Around 70 players, umpires, and staff were staying at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Srinagar, where the controversy unfolded.
Following reports of unpaid bills, hotel management initially refused to let the participants leave the premises. Some players were later allowed to depart after media coverage and negotiations, though several were still being accommodated at the hotel.
England and Wales Cricket Board coach Mel Juniper, who was officiating in the tournament, said the organisers had vanished without settling dues. “The league hasn’t paid any bills. They haven’t paid players, umpires, staff, or the hotel. They told the hotel to hold the players within the building. The league management is nowhere to be seen and they are not even receiving our calls,” Juniper told reporters. “We can’t play till our dues are cleared.”
A senior official at the Radisson Collection Hotel confirmed that the IHPL owed a significant balance. “The balance amount of the IHPL management is huge. It is a major financial loss for everyone. They closed the event suddenly with no prior notice or clearance of bills. Many of the players have now left the hotel,” the official said.
Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council distanced themselves from the controversy, stating that the IHPL was a private event. “Officially, this league has nothing to do with the government or the Sports Council. They had only booked Bakshi Stadium and paid for that,” said a council representative.
When questioned about her presence at the league’s opening ceremony, the representative said, “I can get invites from anyone, but that doesn’t prove any association or impact my credibility in any way.”
