Roar of KPL turns Kangan Stadium into cricket carnival

Kangan, Apr 16: The Sheikh-ul-Alam Stadium in Kangan is wearing a festive look these days, with chants echoing across the Sindh valley as the Kangan Premier League transforms the venue into a vibrant hub of cricket and community celebration.

From a local tournament to a valley event, what began a decade back as a small knockout between a few Mohalla teams is now J&K’s in particular Ganderbal district’s, most watched summer fixture. In a region where youth often wrestle with limited opportunities, KPL gives structure to their summer.

The support from the local elected representatives to civil and police administration, besides local cricket enthusiasts and volunteers, makes it more interesting. 

The 2026 edition has 20 teams, players from across central and north Kashmir, and sponsors ranging from local traders to youth clubs. Matches are livestreamed on social media, with commentary in Kashmiri and Urdu.

The tournament organised by the Kangan Cricket Board (KCB) is marking a significant boost to sports activities in the region. However, the board has engaged several unemployed youth to manage the matches, be it crowd management, keeping score or umpiring in games, and in return they are paid a remuneration for their services, indirectly helping in employment generation and engaging youth in sports. Although many well-known cricketers from the valley part of different teams are playing here, there are challenges on the field. Players and locals say infrastructure remains basic. The outfield is patchy, dressing rooms are makeshift tents, and a sought development of playfield and infrastructure is here. 

Notably, the first edition of the Kangan Premier League 2026 began with much fanfare at the Sheikh-ul-Alam Stadium on Wednesday. The inaugural match drew large crowds as local cricket enthusiasts turned up to cheer for their teams. The inaugural match of the tournament was played between Royal Goodwill and Valley Stars Ganderbal. A total of 20 teams are participating in the league, promising an exciting series of matches. 

The inaugural ceremony was attended by MLA Kangan, Mian Mehar Ali, SDPO Kangan Rajeev Raina, SHO Kangan Younis Ah Khan, and President of Kangan Cricket Board Peerzada Ashraf, along with other officials and sports lovers. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Mian Mehar Ali reiterated his commitment to promoting sports in the constituency, stating that he will continue to support initiatives aimed at boosting sports activities and nurturing young talent. Organisers said the tournament aims to promote young sporting talent from across the Ganderbal district and provide a platform for players to showcase their skills.

Meanwhile, KCB President Peerzada Ashraf expressed gratitude to all stakeholders and emphasised the importance of such tournaments in providing a platform for emerging players from Kangan.

The opening ceremony was attended by local officials, community leaders, and former cricketers who lauded the initiative for engaging youth in positive activities.