Local sports carries on in Kashmir, but not without concern

Srinagar, May 9: Even as heightened tensions between India and Pakistan spill over into professional cricket—leading to the indefinite suspension of the IPL after Friday’s Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match was halted midway—local cricket and football in Kashmir continue to function, albeit under a cloud of anxiety.

While cricket tournaments like WPL, WCL, and the Magam Tournament remain largely unaffected, local football appears to be feeling the ripple effects more visibly.

A former professional footballer who now conducts training sessions and a senior functionary of a football association told Greater Kashmir, “The effect is big. People are not turning up in the same numbers. There’s tension, there’s concern, and naturally it affects turnout.”

According to him, while matches are still being played as per schedule, the atmosphere has changed. “Organisers are sticking to the calendar because they must, but there’s less energy. Even kids are skipping training,” he said.

He added, “Football here is not just a sport, it’s therapy. But when the environment is uncertain, the game suffers too—mentally and logistically.”

Meanwhile, Mushtaq Ahmad War, Editor-in-Chief of JK Sports Time, confirmed that Kashmir’s cricketing calendar is moving ahead, although players are becoming increasingly hesitant to travel between districts. “There’s a bit of uneasiness in the air,” he said. “But cricket, for now, chal raha hai.”

Both perspectives point to a sobering reality, while the Valley’s passion for sport remains undeterred with other sports too going on with a mixed response of ease and hesitance.

Notably, following the ongoing heightened tension between India and Pakistan, the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, as per the news agency Press Trust of India, was cancelled midway following air raid alerts in Jammu and Pathankot, putting the entire league at risk of being called off.

The Punjab side was 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs when lights went out in the quaint hill town, attributed to floodlight failure at first. The game had started later than scheduled due to rain before the city went dark for some time.

The teams and the assembled fans were eventually evacuated from the stadium for their security. The picturesque ground can accommodate approximately 23,000 spectators, and it was packed to about 80 per cent of its capacity at the time of evacuation.