The Indian Heaven Premier League, a privately organized cricket event held in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, has stirred up controversy as the event organizers disappeared midway through the tournament, leaving players and officials stranded. The hotel bills remained unpaid, prompting the hotel to restrict room access, trapping the players and officials inside.
The league boasted renowned cricket figures including Chris Gayle, Praveen Kumar, Martin Guptill, and Parveez Rasool participating. Commencing on October 25, the tournament was scheduled to conclude on November 8, featuring eight competing teams under the patronage of the J&K Sports Council at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.
Reports indicate that the government facilitated the organizers without conducting thorough background checks. Melissa Juniper, a tournament official, disclosed that the organizers vanished suddenly, with their phones disconnected. Unsettled bills for the hotel, players, and umpires have left around 40 players stranded, prompting negotiations with the hotel management to allow them to reunite with their families.
As of now, there has been no official government statement regarding any potential investigations or measures against the organizers for deceiving the participants.