The love affair between Kashmir and cricket is contagious. Rarely anywhere in the world does fan support reach such a high emotional quotient that it leads to crowds being tear-gassed, from shattering TVs to partying on the streets. There have been cricketers from Kashmir who have represented their country in international competitions. Let us look at some cricketers from Kashmir.
1. Suresh Raina
In the early 2000s, Suresh Raina, a maverick batsman, was permanently a member of the Indian cricket team. He is by far Kashmir's most well-known cricketer on the world stage. He is from Rainawari, a neighborhood in Srinagar. Later, in the 1980s, they relocated to northern India. In 2011, Indian team coach Gary Kirsten claimed that Raina's vital hits were what helped his team win the World Cup.
2. Vivek Razdan
One of the most well-known Kashmiri cricket players in the nation is Vivek Razdan. Vivek Razdan bowled for India during the 1989 Tour of Pakistan in just two innings, the second of which was his debut and featured five massive wickets. In the final Test match in Sialkot, Razdan scored 5-79 thanks to the swinging conditions, giving India a 74-run advantage in the first innings. Interestingly, he was chosen for international cricket based solely on his performance in two first-class matches.
3. Parvez Rasool
The Bijbehara Blaster, Parvez Rasool, became the first Kashmiri to play both for Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy and for the Indian cricket team. He played for India against Zimbabwe but sat out the entire series. He has demonstrated outstanding performance when playing for India's A squad, taking 7 wickets in a game against Australia. In the local Kashmiri cricket community, Parvez is immensely well-liked.
4. Abid Nabi
Nabi, a brash and colorful Kashmiri who is known as a rising speedster in India's local circuit, originates from that region. He distinguished himself with a standout performance by collecting five wickets in an Under-19 match against England. However, his switch to the ICL put an end to any remaining dreams of playing for India. The BCCI outlawed the ICL after it started its own, now incredibly well-known league named the IPL.
5. Haroon Rasheed Dar
Dar, a retired cricketer from Pakistan, played in 12 One-Day Internationals and almost 20 Tests between 1977 and 1983. He was strangely taken from his automobile and battered by some kids during the 1979 Semi-Final game because of his subpar batting performance. Later, he rose to the position of coach and selector for the U19s. Dar was asked to send a U19 player for the series in Kenya, so he sent a 16-year-old youngster who got the quickest ODI century. It was Shahid Khan Afridi, of course.
6. Tahir Naqash
Tahir participated in 40 ODIs and 15 Tests for the Pakistan cricket team between 1980 and 1985. In the early 1980s, he performed with Imran Khan, Sarfraz Nawaz, and Sikander Bakht. He was also a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team. In Lahore, which has residents from both sides of the Line of Control, he was born into a Kashmiri family.
7. Salman Butt
Pakistani cricketer, YouTuber, and divisive personality Salman Butt. Due to his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing affair, he received a five-year ban. He is a current Lahore Qalandars player. Salman was one of Pakistan's best openers in the modern era. Although his poor strike rate occasionally drew criticism, he was still a good hitter in general.
8. Afaq Raheem
A batsman from Mirpur, Kashmir, named Raheem was chosen to participate in a test match against Sri Lanka. Even though he was not a well-liked player, he is still a well-known name in Pakistani domestic cricket. Due to Kashmir's division into two halves, players from the region can be found on the rosters of both nations.
9. Umran Malik
The Sunrisers originally intended to use Malik as a net bowler, but when Thangarasu Natarajan was forced to withdraw from the competition due to COVID, Malik was added to the team. Malik, a 21-year-old bowler, hit a ball at 153 kph during the just-finished Indian Premier League (IPL 2021), an Indian T20 league competition (95mph). He gained fame right away. He received plaudits from many, including Indian skipper Virat Kohli, for frequently clocking greater than 150kmph (93mph) during the few IPL games he played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He played against Ireland in June 2022 to make his cricket team debut for India.
10. Moeen Ali
Here comes Moeen Ali, an all-rounder with the dreaded beard and one of the rising cricket stars of Kashmiri ancestry. He is a fantastic all-arounder who excelled in all facets of cricket. He is one of England's most valuable all-rounders.
