Srinagar: This was the first major sporting event since the abrogation of Article 370, and a crowd of 2000 football fans weathered the freezing cold to cheer the home team, Real Kashmir, against the I-League champions Chennai City FC.
Warm smiles and cheers marked the day, acting as a dampener on the cold wave and an intermittent period of curfew and online curbs.
The 2-1 victory provided a sense of joy to the crowd that perhaps only sports can provide. A visiting player, who enjoyed the outing, said, “There were some apprehensions when we were told that we have to play in Srinagar.
But since coming here, all of us are happy. The atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying and despite the intense chill we enjoyed each moment,” he was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald. Local hero Danish Farooq was adjudged as man of the match.