Cricket carnival draws Kashmiris to Dubai

Srinagar: Kashmiri expatriates living in the Gulf and beyond are converging at Dubai next week to grace the final of the Season 2 of “Kashmir Super League” (KSL). Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin is likely to be the “chief guest” at the event.

As many as 40 prominent people from Jammu and Kashmir, including journalists, academicians, artists, poets, playwrights, attorneys, entrepreneurs and civil society leaders are also flying to Dubai from Srinagar, Jammu and Delhi to watch the final and be part of the concluding ceremony of the cricket tournament, the first of its kind organised by Kashmiri diaspora on foreign soil.

The final will be played between Razay Kadal Super Heroes and Rajbagh Sports. As these two, all other teams which have participated in the tournament have been named after “forgotten” bridges, wetlands, shrines and various other significant places in the Valley.

The aficionados from the Valley after cutting across individual, political and religious ideologies launched the KSL as a vehicle to promote Kashmir’s culture and heritage in the Gulf and, at the same time, reconnect with their roots back home. “It is totally apolitical and has become a game-changer for the Kashmiris working and seeking jobs in the Gulf,” said one of the organisers.

It all began a year ago when about 10 Kashmiri youth and budding cricketers working as professionals in IT, telecom and business management sectors in Dubai came together to launch KSL with a view to “bring together the Kashmiri expatriates living and working in the Emirates,” said Inayat Fazili, the KSL management and enterprise manager.

Initially, there were just four teams which began playing the Twenty20 tournament, sponsored by “Dre Homes” — a real estate company — and was named as “Dre Homes Kashmir Super League”. Since many Kashmiris enthusiasts came forward to become part of the initiative, the number of teams which have played in Season 2 of the KSL in Ajman Oval Stadium, about 30 km from Dubai, rose to 14, comprising 224 cricketers from the Valley, said Sheikh Feroz, a Kashmiri businessman and a staunch supporter of the KSL. The Season 2 of the KSL was inaugurated by cricketer Parvez Rasool on January 6 and on every Friday, the weekly off-day in the Gulf, and other chosen days during the past two-and-a-half months, the Indian Premier League (IPL) “moments were recreated by the Kashmiri expatriates” in Ajmal Oval Stadium.

On March 24, when the finals will be played, an event has been planned to greet the players and also to “broaden and enlighten” the concept of sports among the Kashmiri youngsters, assures the invitation letter to Mr Azharuddin.