Promote sports not commercialism
Mahfooz Ahmad Bakshi
Cricket, a most loved sport among Kashmiri youth. People play it with an extreme level of dedication. It’s not just a game, but a passion followed by enthusiastic and committed lads. They may forget to take their meals, but they never forget to play cricket. It seems like this game of ball and bat has become part of their bodies.
But what if we take this far away from them, have you ever wondered what would happen to them if we do so? Well, without cricket they will turn into Autophiles, they will start to hate people around them, and they will get buried under the core of sadness!
Cricket is their passion, but some of our financially unstable but talented players can never ever follow their passion, they cannot make their dreams come true! Yes, it’s true; there are so many clubs or academies of cricket where they only let those players join who can pay more than they earn!
The only motto of such clubs or academies is not actually developing the best players, but filling their pockets! Problem that the future stars of cricket are facing is that there are no grounds available. Also there exist such type of organizers who organize some local tournaments in which they take the entry fee beyond what’s necessary! Which might not be affordable for some teams? The result of all of this is that we are ruining or deteriorating our future by our hands. We are the reason our youths are getting so into drug peddling, drug addiction, robbing and why our youths are getting into inhumane activities.
It’s obvious that the creator can create anything and also can vanish anything. If we are the creators of this disaster to cricket and the talent of Kashmir, we can also be its destroyers. Kashmir doesn’t lack the talent, but it’s lacking the platforms and hence it’s losing the talent eventually. This is quite unfortunate for us. Why are we compelling youth to cease following their dreams and their passion for just a few paper pieces, I mean just a few notes of currency?
We are burning, and we are losing. Neither are we neither earning nor moving forward, but the time is still left, we can still defeat this disaster and we can still be victorious.
To get victories in this field, we need to support cricketers and help them to grow, and wish them to achieve what they are dreaming about because of them, our state can be recognized. To support them, we don’t have to work hard, we don’t need to face sleepless nights, and we don’t have to take burdens on our shoulders. All we have to do is to provide the best platforms and provide them playgrounds.
I have watched rich players playing in clubs but I swear they don’t even know the spelling of Cricket, forget spelling they cannot even pronounce the word “Cricket”. In a nutshell they were talentless! On the other side of the world I have seen players with torn clothes, bare feet and dirty hands!
They somehow managed to make a bat by their own hands and play, believe me I was flabbergasted when I saw their game, fully blessed with talent! But unfortunately none of them could get a chance to play for any team because they cannot pay, how can they pay, buying soap is such a big deal for them. Even though we are not saying openly that we are against talent but our actions are proving everything.
Let’s give cricket some importance, it’s the game which doesn’t allow racism, casteism, criticism, instead it teaches unity, it really proves that 1+1=11. It teaches us respect and love, it’s the game which erases the border lines drawn by us, and it’s the game which makes a country give a friendship hand to others.
Our country doesn’t need money and other rich stuff on the field. All it needs is players who know how to hit, where to hit and how to win! Just like in a war, money doesn’t work because the talent of brave soldiers makes a country a great power!
Cricket is such a lovely sport that even those who play other game or like them raise their hands in affirmation when it comes to naming a highly competitive sport. And when we talk about Kashmir sports and games means Cricket only.
But unfortunately some of our so called organizers of local tournaments or so called coaches, clubs, etc have broken the limits of cruelty and dishonesty but there are some people who really deserve the titles like, Honest Cricket Tournament Organizers and the Best Clubs. Because of them our brothers are getting chance to be part of Indian Cricket Team and are letting the people know, what Kashmiri people can do, they are making us proud, because of them we are being respected and respect is rare which is hard to earn but easy to lose, respect has no price it’s priceless that’s what some pocket fillers, I mean ‘so called coaches’ are not understanding.
Don’t run after money, money can buy happiness but not respect, We rise by lifting others, help poor players to reach to sky and then they will represent your teachings as the best due to which you can get fame and eventually you may earn not a lot but at least you earn some money along with a lot of respect. Let’s not build our buildings on the play grounds, let’s support others and get supported. Poor but talented Cricket players should be groomed as well.
I want to request all those clubs, academies etc., please, and kindly start grooming the poor but talented players as well. Don’t ruin their career for pieces of paper and don’t look at the player’s backgrounds. Whether they belong to rich, reputed or poor families, let every talent join your club or academy. And at last it’s my humble request to those who are planning to organize any local tournaments, kindly do not take entry fee more than the teams can afford, charge a meager amount as fee for God’s sake.
(The writer is a class 12 student and hails from Ganderbal district)
KV Network
