Despite Hardship, Kashmiri Youth Make Cricket As Passion

Yasmeen Manzoor

Srinagar, March 28(KNB): In a prolonged conflict zone Kashmir where curfews and internet blackouts are frequent, young youth of valley are finding an empowering outlet through sports, mainly Cricket and proved how this game gave them an avenue to express themselves and their potential to the world, allowing them to break out and excel.

Several young cricketers from the Valley have been nurtured and groomed to play at highly competitive levels across the country and had made Kashmir Proud.

Parveez Rasool, a young youth from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district once detained by Bengalore police in connection with suspected militancy, has turned a cricketing hero for life time. Being an all-rounder he is the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to represent India who made his first-class debut against Himachal Pradesh in 2008. Rasool had a fabulous domestic season in 2012-13, leading the batting as well as bowling charts for his team in the Ranji Trophy.

Another Kashmiri youth, Rasikh Salam the youngest player has recently made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium to become only the second player from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the Indian Premier League(IPL).

While talking to Kashmir News Bureau, a young boy resident of hawal said, ” T he likes of Rasik Salam, Parvaiz Rasool and other professional cricketer have turned as the role model for youth of valley and more and more young people are working hard to be the professional cricketers and want to show their talent in bigger stages like IPL and international arena and I am one like them and am working hard to pursue my dream.”(KNB)