{
  "id": 2273786,
  "title": "In Pulwama, cricket heals wounds of the past",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/in-pulwama-cricket-heals-wounds-of-the-past",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T01:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jammu-and-kashmir/in-pulwama-cricket-heals-wounds-of-the-past/article71370485.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the conflict-ridden Pulwama district of south Kashmir, cricket has emerged as a beacon of healing and unity. Hundreds of locals, along with family members and carrying food items, remained till late Wednesday to watch the first match of the Royal Premier League Pulwama. The stadium witnessed an unprecedented atmosphere, providing an opportunity for residents to laugh and smile, and offering a glimmer of hope amid past misery.\n\nPulwama legislator Waheed-ur-Rehmaan Parra emphasized the significance of the event, stating that it brings positivity and a chance for the youth to be happy and hopeful. Local youth Irfan Sarkar played a crucial role in organizing the league, providing digital boards, live screens, social media streaming, and commentary. With ten teams playing all their games under floodlights, the tournament attracted around 20,000 spectators, cheering, drumming, and celebrating together.\n\nPulwama has a tumultuous history, witnessing clashes between youths and security forces during uprisings in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2016. Scores of civilians lost their lives, and many local youths turned to militancy following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016. Despite this, cricket has offered a healing process for the district over the past two years. Parra noted that the cricket tournament has turned Kashmir's nightlife into a dream, with eateries doing business till midnight, a rare sight in the area.\n\nMoreover, night cricket is fostering talent among the locals, allowing them to perform under the pressure of crowds and develop mental resilience. Parra concluded that the league is more than just cricket; it symbolizes hope over fear, unity over division, and life over darkness.",
  "summary": "Nightlife has been a dream for the turmoil-hit district. However, cricket in the past two years has acted as a healing process for locals.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}