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A private cricket league in Srinagar, known as Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) came to an chaotic end after its organisers fleeing Srinagar overnight, leaving several players and foreign officials stranded. Started on October 25 at the Baskhi Stadium, IHPL aimed at bringing much-needed exposure to the game in Jammu and Kashmir and included global icons like West Indies' Chris Gayle, New Zealand's Jesse Ryder to name a few.
However, the abrupt stop of IHPL, left approximately 40 players, umpires and other officials stranded in hotels with no clarity of what would happen in the next coming days, according to a HT report. The tournament had eight teams with around 70 players, umpires and non-cricketing staff.
The development of the organisers fleeing without clearing the dues came to light when a senior official at The Residency Hotel, where most participants told media about the same. An English umpire at IHPL, Mellissa Juniper, also echoed the same.
Is Chris Gayle, Jesse Ryder stranded in Srinagar?
While it is being reported that a lot of cricketers, officials and other staff are still stranded, there has been no concrete information on who all exactly are stranded among the international stars. The report stated that Gayle is believed to have already checked out of the hotel on Saturday after sensing some issues with the organisers and the tournament.
Parvez Rasool, who became the only cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to have played for India, according to a NDTV report, revealed that some international players were briefly stopped from leaving their accommodations until the issue into the hands of foreign diplomatic channels.
What led to IHPL's downfall?
Local reports stated that the IHPL roster confirmed 32 international players but it was the matches involving Gayle that drew crowds. The two-time T20 World Cup champion, Gayle, even made a video promoting the league with an aim to have at least 25000 to 30000 spectators in each game at the Bakshi Stadium.
However, dipping attendance might have led to the financial problems with sponsors believed to have pulled out at the last moment. Even after the ticket prices were slashed, the turnout remained dismal. The league was not approved by either the BCCI or the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. An official statement from the organisers is still awaited.
A total of 13 matches were possible with the last one on Sunday where Gayle scored 88 runs in front of a mostly empty stand.
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