I have written several pieces highlighting the downside of Kashmir’s local cricket boom, from questionable standards to chaotic crowd control. But there are undeniable positives too, and they deserve a spotlight.
On Tuesday, Bandipora played host to a high-voltage clash between Sultan Warriors and Royal Goodwill, arguably the valley’s two top teams. What followed was historic: the largest-ever crowd recorded at a sporting event in the district. Fans came from all over Kashmir, packing the ground and creating an electric atmosphere.
Beyond the cricket, something else remarkable happened–business boomed.
More than a dozen vendors lined up outside the ground, selling everything from snacks to whistles. Most didn’t get to watch a single delivery. Yet, by the end of the match, they were beaming: many of them earned in one day what they typically make in a month. Restaurants and other local businesses, too, had their best day in recent memory.
There’s a tendency to dismiss these crowds with a cynical “this is what unemployment does.” But that’s an unfair observation. Yes, unemployment is high in Kashmir; no one’s denying that. But people across the world flock to stadiums for the love of sport, regardless of their job status.
In Kashmir, where national and international sporting events remain scarce, local leagues are more than just makeshift entertainment. They have become vital social events. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
There are few sights more heartening than thousands of people coming together to cheer for their local heroes, especially in a place like Kashmir. The only real concern is the crowd breaching the field, something that needs to change. But apart from that, the energy, the joy, and yes, the business that local cricket generates, all point to its growing importance in the Valley.
It may not shape the future of the game in a professional sense, but it’s certainly shaping the community’s present.