HOW PLAYERS FROM J&K ARE AN INSPIRATION

Jammu and Kashmir has been in a state of turmoil with bleak stories of violence, lethal attacks and protests being the only ones coming out of the state. However, sports has provided the youth from the strife-torn state an avenue to express themselves and their potential to the world, giving them an opportunity to break out and excel.

From Parvez Rasool, who is an household name now, to the gritty para-cricketer Amir Hussain and the very talented woman cricketer Rubiya Sayeed, the stories of J&K players overcoming many barriers to make a mark provide inspiration for not just the Kashmiri youth but also young athletes from the rest of the country.

Spinner Rasool’s rise from Kashmir to the Indian team has provided fuel for many from the state to dream. With good performances in the domestic circuit, many upcoming cricketers are grabbing the attention of the stakeholders of Indian cricket.

While Rasool is a Kashmiri star, the superstar would be Amir Hussain of Lone village.

Hussain, who lost both his arms in an accident at his father’s bat manufacturing sawmill in 1997, when he was just eight, is the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir para-cricket team.

While Hussain’s story is about overcoming physical odds, Rubiya Sayeed’s is about breaking stereotypes and a glass ceiling.

Rubiya, who hails from south Kashmir, recently played for the North Zone women’s team.