Played for a Fool

Unregulated cricket tournaments in Kashmir are exploiting passion, not promoting talent.

- Malik Yaseen

Across the valley, kids gather on dirt fields, their eyes set on the dream of making it big.

But in the scramble for fame and recognition, an ugly reality is emerging.

Local cricket tournaments are capitalizing on that dream, turning a beloved sport into a cash cow while leaving the players with nothing but false hope.

Organisers of these so-called "mega" cricket tournaments ask teams to pay anywhere from 5000 to 6000 to enter. In return, teams get nothing but the possibility of being eliminated after just one game.

The structure is simple: a knock-out format with little chance to showcase real skill, where the best teams rarely make it past the first round.

Yet, organisers rake in large sums as they draw in 32 to 64 teams, each hoping for a chance at something bigger.