Srinagar, Aug 31: In a significant boost to grassroots cricket in Kashmir, the Chinar Premier League (CPL) – the Indian Army’s flagship sporting initiative – is set to hold its semi-finals and final as floodlit night matches at the General Bipin Rawat Stadium in Baramulla next month, marking a new chapter for the tournament that has emerged as hope for the region’s youth.
The decision underscores the tournament’s growing stature, with this season already shattering records. Featuring 79 teams – symbolising each year of India’s Independence – and over 1,600 young cricketers from Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, the CPL has expanded beyond the Valley for the first time. The semi-finals are scheduled for September 6-8, with the final slated for September 10 or 11, an official told Kashmir Convener.
Now in its third season, the CPL has evolved into a powerful tool for community engagement and a counter to social ills, drawing massive crowds and offering a professional platform for raw talent from remote areas.
“If you see the stands, you’ll find families, elders, and children cheering together. That is the real victory of CPL,” a senior Army officer associated with the event said, requesting anonymity. “The night matches are not just about cricket – they’re about reclaiming the evenings for sports, for community, for peace.”
For parents who have watched their children traverse dirt grounds, the floodlit finale is a revelation. Mohammad Shafi Dar, whose 17-year-old son represents a Baramulla team, said the Army has given the youth something far greater than a cricket tournament.
“The Army has already provided a platform for our children. Now, giving them the chance to play under lights – this is something we could only dream of. It shows how sports is touching new heights here,” Dar told Kashmir Convene. “Earlier, evenings were empty. Children had nothing to do. Now they have a purpose, a goal. And as parents, we have something to cheer for.”
Another parent, Ghulam Nabi Rather from Sopore, whose 19-year-old son is a fast bowler in the league, said the initiative has become a shield against the scourge of drugs plaguing the region’s youth.
“Today, my son talks about line and length, not about what poison is available in the market. The Army has given these boys an alternative – a real, meaningful alternative,” Rather said. “I thank the Army from the bottom of my heart. They are not just organising cricket; they are saving our children. Every ball bowled under those lights is a ball not wasted on the streets.”
Veteran cricketer Khan Jehangir from North Kashmir termed the night matches a festival for families across the region. “Everyone will come and when our sons will be out there under the floodlights, we will see them as stars. The Army have given us hope when we were losing it, keeping the situation where our young generation is getting involved in drugs and other social evils,” he told this newspaper.
Organisers said the CPL has evolved into a grassroots movement against substance abuse, with coaches and Army personnel using the cricket pitch as a classroom to counsel players about the perils of drug addiction. “The idea is simple – keep the bat in hand, not the syringe. Keep the eyes on the ball, not on poison,” said another official, adding that the tournament has seen participation from areas once known for militancy and narcotics trade.
The floodlit finale comes days after Pulwama’s second season of the Royal Premier League attracted over 20,000 spectators to its night matches, underscoring a growing appetite for evening cricket in Kashmir. The trend is being seen as a reflection of the region’s gradual return to normalcy, with sporting events replacing conflict as the dominant narrative on the ground.
Organisers said the CPL has also become a talent-spotting ground, with several players being scouted for higher-level competitions. “For a boy from a remote village in Kupwara or Bandipora to play under lights, with thousands watching, it changes everything. It gives them a future,” said another official overseeing the tournament’s logistics.
For Mohammad Yousuf Malik, whose 16-year-old son has been selected for the semi-finals, the gratitude runs deeper than words. “What can I say? The Army has given my child a stage. Before this, he would wander the streets. Now he wakes up at 5 am to practice. Under those lights, he will show what he has learned,” Malik said. “I tell every parent in my neighbourhood – send your children to the ground, not to the streets. The Army is showing us the way.”
Notably, The CPL is being run under the Army’s ‘Wadi-e-Tarjuman’ initiative, which aims to channel the energy of youth into constructive pursuits.
Comments are closed.