Copyright republicworld
Srinagar: The unravelling of the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) has taken a darker turn, with revelations that not only players and international stars but also local organizers, catering crews, bus drivers and ground staff are staring at mounting unpaid bills.As the privately run T20 tournament, once touted as a big attraction for Kashmir's cricket aspirations; lies in tatters, the ripple effects of alleged financial mismanagement are hitting the Valley's grassroots support network hardest, leaving vendors and small-scale service providers in financial jeopardy.What started as whispers of player boycotts over unpaid salaries has snowballed into a full-blown crisis, exposing a web of defaulted payments that extends far beyond the pitch. Sources close to the event, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that local coordinators including Srinagar-based logistics handlers who managed everything from player transport to stadium setup have been stiffed on fees totaling several lakhs of rupees."We were promised prompt settlements for our services, but now the Delhi-based organizers have vanished, and we're left holding the bag," one local event manager told reporter outside the Radisson Collection Hotel, where over 70 players remain effectively confined amid the standoff.The hotel management confirmed that outstanding bills for over 100 rooms , booked through November 9 remain unsettled, with organizers failing to transfer funds despite repeated assurances."We've been patient, but we can't run a business on promises," a hotel staff said, adding that security has been instructed to prevent departures until at least partial payments are cleared.This has trapped primarily local Jammu & Kashmir cricketers, including former India pacer Praveen Kumar, who had hoped the league would be a career booster.Catering firms, which supplied meals for players, officials, and crew throughout the 10-day event, are equally aggrieved.A Srinagar-based vendor, who provided daily services for nearly 150 people, claimed dues of around Rs 5 lakh remain pending."We fronted the costs, trusting the hype around international stars like Chris Gayle drawing crowds. Now, with matches canceled and no one answering calls, our families are paying the price," the vendor lamented.Bus drivers ferrying teams across the city echoed the sentiment, said that their transport contracts over Rs 2 lakh collectively, have gone unpaid, forcing some to dip into personal savings for fuel and maintenance.The disarray traces back to the league's core financial woes: sponsor withdrawals and team owner defaults that starved the event of liquidity.Insiders from the Yuva Society Mohali, the Delhi nonprofit behind IHPL, admitted off-record that several franchise backers pulled out mid-tournament after low attendance failed to materialize.Early matches, like Gayle's explosive half-century on October 27, drew modest crowds of 2,000-3,000 at the 11000-seat Bakshi Stadium Sringar far short of the 25,000-30,000 projected by organizers.This shortfall, compounded by the league's lack of BCCI or JKCA sanction, amplified the cash crunch, with payments to locals deprioritized as international talent was hastily settled to avoid early exits."We coordinated with the Sports Council for ground access, arranged security clearances, and even handled the minister's inauguration on October 25," said a coordinator involved in venue prepration."Our cut was supposed to cover months of planning, but now it's all vapor," said he.Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council Secretary Nuzhat Gul had said the body's limited role, "They paid rent for Bakshi Stadium as per norms and got administrative nods. We had no oversight on their internal finances,"Yet, the council's hands-off approach has drawn criticism, with calls for a review of how unsanctioned events secure public venues.On social media, the outrage has amplified, with hashtags like #IHPLScam and #KashmirCricketBetrayed trending locally. A viral video from umpire Mel Juniper, an English Cricket Board official, captured the frustration: "No one's been paid -not players, not umpires, not the locals who made this possible. This is diabolical for cricket's image in Srinagar and India."Posts from affected vendors flooded timelines, tagging @JmuKmrPolice and @SrinagarPolice, demanding swift intervention. Srinagar Police, already probing the alleged fraud, confirmed they're investigating complaints from over 50 individuals, including locals, with a focus on tracing funds to Delhi."Cricket was supposed to heal and inspire here, not leave us broken," a local bus driver said.Meanwhile, irate fans who shelled out Rs 1,000 each for tickets to the now-aborted matches at Bakshi Stadium are mounting a desperate push for refunds, with no clear channel in sight amid the organizers vanishing act.Disillusioned spectators, many hailing from remote corners of Kashmir have gathered sporadically outside the deserted venue today, brandishing their unused e-tickets and chanting slogans against the event's promoters from Yuva Society Mohali."We've been scammed out of our hard-earned money, and the silence from the authorities is deafening," fumed Aisha Bhat, from Srinagar who traveled 50 kilometers for what was billed as a star-studdedReports suggest that there's been no word from the absconding organizers and Surinder Khanna, the former India cricketer on the managing committee.
