Massive turnout at maiden day & night cricket match in ‘terror hotbed’ Pulwama

Thousands of people gathered to witness the first-ever day-night cricket match held in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, marking a significant sporting moment for the region.

The inaugural match of the Royal Premier League was played on Monday night, drawing an enthusiastic crowd to the Pulwama Sports Stadium, located in the town’s main area. Spectators came from various parts of the Valley to be part of the landmark event.

Pulwama, once regarded as a hotbed of militancy and separatism, has recently seen a revival of sporting events, especially cricket and football. However, a cricket match under floodlights is a first for the district — and it turned out to be a major success.

Irfan Ahmad Bhat, the coordinator and organiser of the league, told The Tribune that this was the first time a cricket match was played at night in Pulwama. “The crowd last night was unprecedented — more than 30,000 people were present at the stadium,” he said.

To facilitate the night match, the organisers rented floodlights from Delhi. “We installed 80 floodlights mounted on four towers around the ground,” Bhat added.

The Royal Premier League features 10 teams, and matches will continue through next month. Organisers said the matches are being livestreamed, and the pitch has been upgraded to offer players access to modern facilities.

“Kashmiris are full of talent, and the people are crazy about cricket. We now intend to organise similar events across the Valley,” said Bhat.

The match on Monday began in the evening and continued into the early morning hours. “The post-match presentation took place around 1:30 am,” said an official.

Long queues of vehicles were seen leading to the venue, as fans from across the Valley flocked to witness the historic match. “We were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours — people from all over Kashmir were coming to watch,” said Syed Amir, who travelled from Baramulla in North Kashmir.

Nuzhat Gull, Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, who attended the inaugural event, shared her thoughts on X: “When you hold the hands of youth, you don’t just guide them you ignite their spirit. J&K Sports Council has sown seeds of passion, discipline and purpose, letting sports in J&K grow as naturally as rivers carve valleys and dawn breaks night.”

Pulwama MLA and PDP leader Waheed Para called the event a new beginning for the youth.

“This is a new inning for our youth. We’ve never witnessed such an event here, and people turned up in huge numbers to watch the match,” he said.

For many in the crowd, the night was about more than just cricket — it was about reclaiming their evenings with joy, hope, and togetherness under the floodlights.