Darakshan Hassan Bhat
Cricket for girls in the valley was once a distant dream come true. We have seen women and girls in Kashmir as mute spectators in games and sports due to various reasons and logic. Without interrupting the debate, in recent years we have seen great progress for Kashmiri women in sports and games. After decades of violence, the sight of Kashmiri girls stepping onto the cricket field with confidence is nothing short of revolutionary. The Kashmir Women’s Cricket League has become more than a sporting event. For years, violence had silenced the laughter and dreams of young girls, confining them within walls of uncertainty. Today, those very girls are rewriting history with a bat and a ball in hand.
Within a few years in Kashmir, many girls have entered sports stadiums, with families and friends cheering for them. Among them, Falak from Handwara, Afreen from Anantnag, and Sabreen from Baramulla represent a Kashmir that is showing great performance. Today, they must be happy to see their co-partner win the World Cup and make them, and the nation, proud.
The joyful moment could not be greater than seeing Harmanpreet Kaur lifting the World Cup trophy in Mumbai. It wasn’t just a moment of pride for Indian women’s cricket; it was a spark that reached every corner of the nation, including the valleys and mountains of Kashmir. For generations, Kashmiri girls were told that sports were not for them, that their place was confined to homes and classrooms. But today, as India’s women cricketers script history on the global stage, the young women of Kashmir are finding their own voice, their own field, and their own dream. The quiet revolution unfolding in schools, colleges, and stadiums across the Valley marks a new era of empowerment and pride.
This is the victory of the women of the valley, who have battled both conflict and conservatism. It symbolizes that gender is no longer destiny, it’s determination that defines them. The story of Harmanpreet Kaur, who once balanced a railway clerk’s job with practice sessions, mirrors the struggle of Kashmiri athletes who often train without facilities yet dream beyond their circumstances. For those girls in Kashmir who love sports, this will encourage their field talent.
Many years ago, in many Kashmiri homes, girls grew up watching their brothers go out for sports practice while they stayed back, helping mothers in the kitchen. The social expectation that “sports are for boys” has long been a barrier. But things are changing. Today, we see a record participation of girls in all fields. This is not about physical competition; it is about the talent they are showing. The new generation of Kashmiri girls, supported by parents and teachers, is making us proud. Be it young cricketer Insha Bashir from Budgam or footballer Afshan Ashiq from Srinagar, their stories of perseverance echo Harmanpreet’s journey. They represent a Kashmir where women are not just breaking boundaries; they’re redefining them.
This win will have a great impact on inspiring sports girls in Kashmir too. It was a huge celebration for them, but unfortunately, gender disparities once again made the remarkable win by the Indian women’s cricket team go unnoticed. If it had been men’s cricket, there would have been mega celebrations and firecrackers on the streets. Such disparities must end now. It is about proving that women can lead, compete, and win on the biggest stages. Harmanpreet’s victory has inspired hundreds of young girls in the valley to dream beyond limitations, to believe that “if she can, I can.”
The government should consider sports and games for women and girls separately from male fields. We don’t see any separate sports grounds for girls where they could build their talent and compete with their counterparts. Local tournaments, indoor and outdoor games, and sports fields for females, at least at the block level, must be established. These fields will not only keep them physically fit but also socially updated and equal participants. Kashmiri girls are no longer taboos and mute spectators. From winning local to international levels, they are no longer backward.
Harmanpreet reminded us of Kapil Dev’s victory in 1983, and for Kashmir, it may well mark the rise of a new generation of girls who refuse to be silent spectators. They are learners, leaders, and athletes, building a Kashmir that cheers for them not because they are women, but because they are winners. It conveys a strong message to them: cricket is not just a game; it’s a declaration that the sky is, indeed, the limit.