The demand for Kashmiri bats have increased in international markets after two international cricket players from Oman played with them in the T20 World Cup last year. Now, four players from UAE have got Kashmiri willow for the T20 World Cup 2022 scheduled to be held in Australia from October 16.
The players are Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Kashif Daud and Fahad Nawaz. The agreement with these players was signed during International Cricket Council (ICC) qualifiers matches played during April-May in Dubai.
The UAE will play their first match with the Netherlands on October 16. After that they will lock horns with Sri Lanka on October 18 and with Namibia on October 20.
The industry people said they are happy that players of more countries have started using Kashmiri bats. There are around 400 bat manufacturing units in the Industrial area from Sangam to Awantipora in Southern Kashmir.
Fawzul Kabir, a 29-year-old MBA from Islamic University of Science and Technology Awantipora, who is pursuing PhD from a university in Canada, said that after hectic efforts, a few players of Oman agreed to play with their bats. The bats were manufactured at GR8 sports industry in Halmulla Sangam area of Anantnag.
Kabir, who is owner of the unit, said that his late father started manufacturing bats in 1974. But the demand for Kashmiri bats has soared only recently in international markets.
“We have already sent consignment to around one dozen countries and many orders are also in queue. This is a new beginning for us and we are hopeful that very soon famous international players will play with our bats,” he stated.
“We are hopeful that Kashmiri willow will emerge as an alternative to English willow as we are the only ones who can produce these bats at much lesser rates. Now our aim is that prolific players like Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and others should play with our Kashmir made bats,” Kabir enthusiastically said.