Jahangeer Ganaie
Anantnag, Feb 24: For the very first time, a known cricket manufacturing company from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has taken an initiative to provide a platform to talented cricketers of Kashmir to reach international level.
Gr8 Sports, a bat manufacturing company from Halmulla Anantnag, has signed MoU with various international cricket boards and leagues to vanguard the talent from Kashmir.
Owner of the company Fawzul Kabiir while talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that he has witnessed that cricket players in Kashmir are very much talented but they lack the platform to reach to the mega stages.
“We have taken up initiative to provide them a platform so that they get an opportunity to reach to international level and prove their mettle,” he said.
Any professional cricketer below 36 years of age can make videos of his signature shots and upload them while tagging Gr8 Sports on social media, he said, adding that every video of batting, bowling or wicket keeping will be analyzed by experts and management companies and shortlist players.
Kabiir said that every year shortlisted players will undergo trials before selection committee members of international cricket boards and International league franchisees, who will select them for different leagues.
“Every year around 100 batsmen, 100 bowlers and around 50 wicket keepers will be shortlisted who will have to undergo trials and can reach international level as selection will be done on spot in Kashmir,” he said.
“Our aim behind this initiative is just to promote local talent and we have signed MoU with at least 10 cricket playing nations and if our players will be able to showcase talent, they can reach international leagues like Carabian League, BPL,” he added.
Let players play their normal cricket and make videos and upload them while tagging us and Mobica-our talent management company will access and on that basis screening will be done and players will be shortlisted.
After shortlisting, international coaches of franchises and international boards will be brought here one by one and will select players from shortlists on the basis of data base uploaded and trials, he said.
He said that even children have exposure to leather ball cricket and he is hopeful that local cricket players will be able to showcase their talent anywhere in the world.
“It will be a big opportunity for talented youth to make their career besides that it will help in keeping youth away from social evils and generate income as well,” he said.
When asked why he is sponsoring players, he said that mostly sponsored players are being used as advertising agents only and they don’t get proper opportunity as we want to make stars not marketing agents.
“The Company has also decided to start a monthly show that will be live on social media platforms where queries of players will be answered besides that international players will guide talented players as well,” he said.
“We want to provide talented players every opportunity to groom them into stars and this program will be started from March 2023,” he said.
Interested players can tag us on Facebook @gr8sports.biz, Twitter @gr8sports_ltd, Website https://gr8sports.org—(KNO)
