Loyalty of Kashmiri Women cricketers questioned; leaves them fuming

In a diversified country like India, differences of opinions over varied issues leading to brimming and at times, misplaced sentiments, is a common occurrence. However, it is unfortunate when cricket is dragged in between. It was the Kashmiri women cricketers who had to face such a situation recently. Abida Khan, the coach of the Jammu and Kashmir cricketers retorted strongly when asked about the seat of their loyalty is in India or Pakistan.

On Monday, a six overs a side exhibition match was held between the Australian High Commission team, led by Australian legend, Adam Gilchrist and the Jesus and Mary College women’s team. The soaring spirits of the Kashmir college team were dampened considerably by the unnerving questions that followed suit.

“Which team did you support in yesterday’s Champions Trophy final, India or Pakistan?”, “What will you say to people who are living in India but cheering for Pakistan?” were heard among other questions of the same strain.

Abida Khan hits back

Understandably agitated by the incessant badgering, Khan snapped back and said, “It’s really unfortunate that people ask such stupid questions to sportspersons. We are representing the state, and in a way playing for India. These questions affect the team, the players who dream of playing for the national team one day. We are Kashmiris, but we have to prove that we are Indians.”

Commenting on the recent loss of India to Pakistan in the finals of the Champions Trophy, 2017, Abida Khan said that although India had had an excellent tournament throughout, with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma playing exceptionally, the Pakistan team had outperformed them on the day of the finals, led by the brilliant knock from Fakhar Zaman. She further added, “You have to look at it in a sporting way. You cannot force someone to cheer for a team.”

Echoing similar sentiments

In agreement with Khan, off-spinner Bushra Ashraf, who has represented North Zone in an Under-19 tournament in 2015 said, “I played the zonals, and obviously my next target is to make the national team. Why do we have to prove that we support India?”.

She elaborated by saying, “It is a sport and it is a personal choice to cheer for a team that is playing well. We lost to the JMC (Jesus and Mary College) team today but we were still boosting their girls up and celebrating with them.”

Improper infrastructure has been a letdown

Kashmiri women’s cricket has been tormented by the lack of proper infrastructure and funding for long. As told to The Indian Express by Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, secretary of the state’s sports council, states such as Haryana and Gujarat spend over Rs. 500 crores on sports annually, J&K spends a comparatively meagre amount of about Rs. 4 crores.

Turf wickets for proper cricketing exposure are also unavailable in various districts. However, Abida Khan expressed new found hope for the state’s cricket owing to the newly-launched cricket academy in Srinagar.

Hopes for a brighter future

Although circumstances for the Kashmiri girls playing cricket has improved notably over time, with the proper allotment of match fees, facilities of good lodging, boarding and transportation by air, unfavorable conditions still prove to be a challenge for many.

According to The Indian Express, “Abida related that there are girls from the highly affected districts such as Shopian, Baramulla and Bandipora who manage to come out and play despite their families not supporting them.” Resistance from family, society and increased militancy, hardly form the appropriate scenario for a budding cricketer. Owing to such conditions, one such sad incident was that of the talented Jasia Akhtar, having to leave the state to play for Punjab.

Very few Kashmiri players have made it to the centre stage of Indian cricket. In the past, Parvez Rasool made history, by becoming the first Kashmiri cricketer to make it into the Indian men’s national team. The women players dream of achieving this feat themselves in the future and this burning desire was echoed by their coach, too.

Abida lauded the bravery and resilience of the state’s girls and said, “They are not getting camps and are usually informed of a national camp only 3-4 days before. But this group proves that when you really love the game, there is a passion jo marke bhi khatam nahi hota (It doesn’t end even after it’s dead).”

Players speak

The opener, Farkhanda Khan opined cricket as the supreme purpose of their lives. While relating how they had to attend trials last year amidst a curfew, she said that there is “more opportunity for the boys” while they, themselves do not receive the best of facilities In terms of grounds and facilities.

Bushra, who is influenced by spinner R Ashwin and spends most of her spare time studying his variations on YouTube, agrees. “Cricket gives us purpose. Because of our loyalty to the game, we today played under Gilchrist. Soon, we will play in the India jersey.”

– Written by Rituparna Das