Pulwama, Aug 19: The second edition of the Royal Premier League Pulwama commenced in this south Kashmir district on Wednesday evening, marking a striking display of the region’s changing social landscape.
In an area once associated with the presence of terror groups, the cricket tournament has brought a very different energy to the forefront-one defined by sporting ambition, youthful enthusiasm, community participation and a shared celebration of peace and normalcy.
The Sports Stadium Pulwama carried forward the enthusiasm witnessed during last year’s inaugural edition, coming alive with cricketing action and a vibrant gathering of young spectators after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para unveiled the tournament trophy and a senior police officer conducted the ceremonial toss, setting the inaugural match underway under the floodlights at 8 pm.
The packed stadium with about 20,000 in attendance, spirited cheers and collective excitement around the game offered a vivid picture of a generation increasingly choosing the cricket ground as a space for aspiration, competition and celebration.
The league brings together 10 teams for 24 scheduled matches, with every game being played as a 20-over contest with a leather ball. With double-headers scheduled on most days, beginning at 1 pm and 5 pm, the tournament is set to keep the stadium buzzing with activity throughout its run.
Para said the tournament is an effort to bring “light, happiness and hope” to young people who had been hurting and carrying a sense of grief and disappointment.
“Sporting events such as the league provide them with a space to come together, set aside their worries, celebrate collectively and simply enjoy the spirit of the game,” the PDP legislator told PTI.
He emphasised that cricket can play a larger role in creating positive spaces for the youth, fostering camaraderie and giving them an opportunity to express themselves through sport.
The enthusiastic response to the tournament, he added, reflected the desire of young people to participate in activities that bring communities together and offer moments of joy, optimism and normalcy.
Para said the league, built through the efforts of Irfan Sarkar, has grown into something much larger than a sporting tournament. “It belongs to the Valley-to its villages, mohallas and homes, and most importantly, to its young people, who have embraced the game with enthusiasm and a renewed sense of possibility.”
The people associated with the tournament said the league is more than cricket.
“Kashmir is watching. Kashmir is playing. And Kashmir is celebrating. From the players on the field to the thousands of spectators in the stands, the league has created a shared space where talent, passion and community come together.
“The cheers under the floodlights, the sound of drums and the collective celebration of every boundary and wicket are a reflection of a changing mood and a growing desire for moments of joy and togetherness,” one of the people cited above said.
He said it is about creating spaces where young people can dream, compete and belong. “It is about replacing silence with cheers, isolation with community and uncertainty with the confidence that comes from participation and shared purpose.”
According to Para, in a region that has endured years of violence and disruption, the sight of packed stands and young cricketers taking centre stage carries a message that extends well beyond the boundary ropes – hope over fear, unity over division, and life over darkness.
Mohammad Latief, a cricket lover, said the excitement reaches another level during night matches, when the stadium is illuminated under floodlights and thousands of young people gather to watch them.
Locals said the league reflects the growing space being created for young people to channel their energy into sport, nurture talent and build a sense of community.
The sight of youngsters filling the stands, local players competing under professional conditions and families coming together to enjoy cricket underscores a changing narrative-one in which the aspirations of the youth are increasingly finding expression through sport, said Mohammad Ashraf Mir, a village elder.–(PTI)
