Srinagar, Mar 07: A team from the state of Uttar Pradesh has joined the T20 Big Bash cricket tournament being held in the Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The tournament, organized by a group of youth from Pampore town, including Mohammad Ashraf Malik, Arif Chat, Aqib Mir, Zahid Mohiuddin, and Mehraj-Ud-Din Chat, with sponsorship from local businesses, began on Tuesday at Iqbal Stadium in Tanchbagh area of Saffron town Pampore. The knockout tournament has attracted 32 teams from different parts of Kashmir.
What sets this tournament apart is the participation of a team from Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, led by Sachin Rawat, 14. Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Rawat said that such local tournaments are not usually organized in his home state, and his team has been playing in local tournaments in different parts of the country like Rajasthan, Orissa, West Bengal, Delhi, and Haryana. While playing at a village in Jammu last month, they came into contact with a team from Pampore, who informed them about the T20 Big Bash tournament, and they registered for participation.
Rawat and his team are excited to play their first match against SR Young 11 on Wednesday and are impressed with the hospitality of the local youth, who are taking care of their lodging and boarding during the tournament. Though the young cricketers from Unnao had to bear their travel expenses, they are grateful for the support of the locals. Playing on a mat-covered pitch will be a new experience for them as they normally play on turf wickets.
