KEY POINTS
- The Indian Heaven Premier League collapsed in less than ten days, leaving players, vendors, and hotel staff unpaid.
- The tournament faced delays, cancellations, and financial chaos after organisers failed to honour contracts.
- Police are investigating the fraud, while key figures from Yuva Society, the event organisers, are under scrutiny.
SRINAGAR: What was initially touted as a high-profile cricket tournament aiming to showcase a revitalised sporting scene in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir has turned into a chaotic disaster, leaving players, hotel staff, and local vendors in distress.
The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), launched with great fanfare on October 25, collapsed in under ten days, spiralling into a nightmare as organisers vanished, matches were cancelled, and nearly 70 players and match officials were stranded, unpaid and without support.
Media Reports reveal that players were invited to take part in the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a tournament promised to showcase top-tier cricket in Srinagar.
However, despite receiving invitations, prominent players like Shaun Marsh and Shakib Al Hasan declined to participate.
The tournament, initially scheduled to run from October 25 to November 8, was soon mired in controversy.
Reports indicate that the event faced a postponement due to unpaid dues, and organizers disappeared overnight without settling payments. This left players, umpires, and hotel staff in the lurch.
West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle, who had initially joined the tournament, also left midway, adding to the growing chaos. After a few matches were held at Bakshi Stadium, the situation worsened, prompting local police to launch an investigation.
The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) and the JK Sports Council have distanced themselves from the event, stating they had no involvement in the ill-fated IHPL.
Promised Glamour Turns into Nightmare
Billed as a “mega sports event” designed to shine a spotlight on a new illegally occupied Kashmir, the IHPL aimed to feature international stars, government officials, and vibrant crowds at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.
The tournament was organized by the Mohali-linked Yuva Society.
However, just days after the opening, the ambitious event began to unravel. By November 1 and 2, players refused to take the field after their promised payments failed to materialize, leading to several cancelled matches.
Hotels that had provided accommodation for players began to demand settlement for unpaid bills, and vendors who had supported the tournament complained about unpaid dues.
The organisers, led by Yuva Society chairman Parminder Singh and president Ashu Dani, abruptly stopped answering calls and, in some cases, left Srinagar without settling any outstanding financial obligations. This left many, including international umpires and local hotel staff, in limbo.
Fraught Finale at Bakshi Stadium
Among the stranded were Mel (Melissa) Juniper, an ECB coach working as an umpire for the tournament, who described the situation as chaotic. “No one’s been paid, not players, not umpires,” Juniper stated.
According to media reports, hotels instructed staff to withhold departures until bills were cleared. After intense media attention and police involvement, most players were allowed to leave, but the damage was already done.
Tense negotiations between hotel managers, local police, and the stranded players became the norm, as a sense of disbelief set in at the sudden collapse of what was supposed to be a flagship event.
Fraud Behind IHPL’s Collapse
The downfall of the IHPL stemmed from a combination of weak oversight, ambitious claims, and a lack of accountability. The event was promoted by Yuva Society, a non-governmental organisation based in Mohali that claimed to empower youth athletes.
The Society’s promotional material prominently featured Parminder Singh as chairman and Ashu Dani as president.
Despite this, investigations revealed that the organisers lacked substantial experience in large-scale cricket event management, and none of the contractual agreements or licenses were thoroughly verified by the authorities.
The lack of verification allowed the league to proceed, despite clear signs of a cash crunch. Yuva Society had previously organised smaller cricket events under various names, but their ability to manage a large-scale tournament remained unproven.
With no institutional backing or proper financial guarantees in place, the IHPL quickly collapsed when payments stalled, leaving players, hotel staff, and vendors in distress.
Key Figures Behind the IHPL Collapse
The Yuva Society, headed by Parminder Singh, a man with limited verifiable experience in large sports management, spearheaded the IHPL.
Singh positioned himself as the “visionary” behind the league, hoping to bring the youth of occupied Kashmir to international exposure. However, as the event spiralled into crisis, his leadership became increasingly questioned.
Ashu Dani (also known as Ashudani), the league’s president, was frequently featured in promotional material, but his background in cricket and event management was unclear.
Similarly, figures such as Tej Gobind Singh, Munish Soni, and Saurav Gulati were listed as key organisers, though their roles and credentials also raised red flags.
Lack of Accountability
The ultimate cause of the collapse was a combination of official endorsements, flawed organisational structure, and a lack of due diligence from local authorities.
Despite being marketed as a professional league, IHPL was nothing more than an ambitious, poorly planned venture with no institutional oversight or guarantees.
The event’s disintegration left a trail of damaged reputations, unpaid debts, and disappointed fans who had hoped to witness an exciting new chapter for cricket in Indian illegally occupied Kashmir.
