The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has decided to remove former India wicketkeeper Surinder Khanna and former Delhi player Ashu Dani from their duties for their involvement in the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) debacle.
The IHPL controversy
The T20 tournament was billed as a major cricketing event in Jammu and Kashmir, but ended with the organisers fleeing, leaving behind unpaid bills, stranded players, and shocked hotel staff.
IHPL was scheduled to run until November 7, and around 40 players, including international stars like Chris Gayle, Jesse Ryder, and Thisara Perera, were in Srinagar for the tournament, which began on October 25 at Bakshi Stadium.
But from day one, mismanagement was apparent. The attendance was lower than expected, which led to slashed ticket prices, and later it was learnt that the organisers hadn’t even prepared contracts or essentials for players.
DDCA takes action
Khanna was serving as an IHPL mentor and had described the event as a “golden opportunity” for Kashmir’s youth. Meanwhile, Dani was named as the president of the IHPL.
The DDCA had released a statement on November 2, informing ‘players, coaches, support staff and match officials that during their engagement with the DDCA, they are required to refrain from association with or participation in any unapproved, unauthorised or unrecognised leagues, matches or tournaments, whether being held within the state or elsewhere.’
Now, according to the Times of India, both Khanna and Dani will be relieved of their duties for their involvement in the IHPL. The former was a member of the cricket advisory committee (CAC), while the latter was chief junior selector.
“There’s a criminal case filed against Dani. It is expected he will resign himself, although he claims he is innocent. Or else DDCA will have to think of another action. As for Khanna, his role had finished once the selection committees and coaches were appointed for the season. His job was to recommend names for these jobs. He is unlikely to be involved further in the season,” a top DDCA official said.
