The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) is organizing the state-level T-20 league, Uttarakhand Premier League, for the first time. However, the CAU has already faced several controversies in this inaugural event. Bollywood figures like B Praak and Manoj Tiwari were invited to the league’s opening ceremony, but local artists from the state were overlooked, which did not sit well with the people of Uttarakhand. This led to protests against the CAU. Eventually, the CAU learned its lesson and dedicated the closing ceremony to local artists. The closing program will feature performances by Narendra Singh Negi, the Pandavaaz Band, and other local artists.
It should be noted that the Uttarakhand Premier League has been taking place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Raipur since September 15. Five teams are competing in the men’s division, while three teams are competing in the women’s division. At the opening ceremony, the organizers invited Bollywood singer B Praak, actor Sonu Sood, and Bhojpuri star Manoj Tiwari, but these artists failed to attract a large crowd. The organizers ignored local artists at the opening ceremony, which angered the local people.
The “Mool Nivas Bho Kanoon Sangharsh Samiti” strongly objected to this and surrounded the CAU office. The committee warned that if local artists were not invited for the final event, they would stage a protest on the field, disrupting the league.
Following this warning from the “Mool Nivas Bho Kanoon Samanvay Sangharsh Samiti,” the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand took action. The CAU has now given prominence to local artists for the closing ceremony on September 22. Cultural flag-bearers of Uttarakhand, Narendra Singh Negi and the Pandavaaz group, have been invited to perform. The Uttarakhand Premier League officially shared this information on their social media handles.
The invitation of local artists has brought happiness among the public. It is expected that the stadium will be packed with people eager to hear Negi Da and Pandavaaz during the closing ceremony, helping the CAU forget the lackluster opening ceremony.