APL controversy unveils umpire pay dispute, match-fixing, and unconventional officiating

In what was anticipated to be a defining year for American cricket, 2023 experienced contrasting fortunes with the inauguration of Major League Cricket (MLC) and the subsequent debacle of the American Premier League (APL). The MLC, a beacon of hope for cricket enthusiasts in the USA, attracted global cricketing stalwarts to the shores of the United States for its maiden T20 edition as it showcased the nation's foray into the international cricketing arena.

However, as the year drew to a close, the APL cast a shadow over the sport. Videos that surfaced on social media and WhatsApp groups exposed the tumultuous scenes at the Moosa Stadium in Houston, which marked a distressed conclusion to the cricketing year. League owner Jay Mir found himself embroiled in controversy after a viral video depicted his altercation with umpires that prompted him to summon law enforcement to escort the officials out of the venue. The umpires, citing unpaid dues, had refused to officiate further matches, which led Mir to accuse them of trespassing.

Subsequent footage revealed Mir engaged in a heated exchange at a hotel's front desk in the presence of players. Despite the turmoil, matches eventually proceeded with the stadium owner's brother stepping in as an umpire, aided by players taking turns as on-field umpires, notably wearing AirPods while they officiated. Reports from Cricbuzz also suggested the tournament became a breeding ground for match-fixing attempts. Sources revealed players received multiple phone calls urging them to fix matches, allegedly under the directive of the tournament owner.

“As far as I know, Mir only sold three teams: Indians, Afghans and Aussies. We never saw any other owners for the rest of the four teams. Feels like he assembled the rest of the teams by himself,” one of the players from the league told Cricbuzz on condition of anonymity.

Umpire unravels the APL's plight

Bryan Caine, an umpire involved in the Houston controversy, unveiled the ordeal on the Emerging Cricket podcast. He disclosed that the umpires were assured half of their dues by December 22, with the remaining payment due before the tournament's final match on December 31. However, owner Jay Mir failed to fulfil the payment on the 22nd, pledged to pay on the 25th, but defaulted again.

The umpires eventually received only 20% of their owed amount on the night of December 28, with another unmet promise of a further 20% on the 29th. Frustrated, the umpires, lacking remuneration, opted to strike before the semi-finals on December 30.