By: Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar: The much-awaited Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) 2025 began with enthusiasm at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium on Saturday, marking a fan moment for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir as global stars and local players came together on one platform in the coming days.
The opening match witnessed a good start to the tournament, though the stands appeared thin, with the crowd expected to increase as the league progressed.
As per details, despite limited attendance, the spirit of the game remained high as players showcased top-level performances on Kashmir’s historic turf.
Moreover, Minister for Youth Services and Sports Satish Sharma, who attended the inaugural ceremony, expressed pride in the region’s sporting potential and extended a warm welcome to the teams and organizers.
“I congratulate and welcome you all. The organizers and players of the Indian Heaven Premier League have come to the land of Jammu and Kashmir carrying a message of love and friendship,” Minister Sharma said.
The IHPL 2025 features a star-studded lineup, including West Indies legend Chris Gayle, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, Australia’s Shaun Marsh, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, and West Indian spinner Garey Mathurin. J&K’s own Parvez Rasool and Ishan Malhotra are also part of the tournament, adding local pride to the mix.
Similarly, the league will run from October 25 (today) to November 8 at Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar. The event follows the massive success of previous leagues and other sports events, which have reignited professional cricket in the valley after four decades.
Notably, while the opening day missed a massive crowd turnout, organizers remain hopeful that fan attendance will grow in the coming days as excitement builds around the high-profile event. (KNO)
Young Kashmir talent joins prominent faces
As the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) commenced on Saturday, the Valley’s known cricketers are all set to join the international players to enthral the spectators at Bakshi Stadium here.
Some of the valley based players, who have already made their name in the field of cricket, have a huge fan base in Kashmir.
Some of them have turned out to be a youth icon amongst the youngsters.
The prominent faces among the local cricketers include Nasir Baba, Sarsheel Abbas, Irfan Mir (Lara), Wajahat Husssain, Jahangir Lone, Wahid Teli, Parvaiz Rasool, Waseem Kachroo, Asim Bashir, Amir Sofi, Adil Reshi, Ishtiyaq Robby, Aqib Mir, Omar Alam, Ishtiyaq Rasool, Sahil Shafi and others.
Many among them have already played at different platforms in the country and outside India as well.
“It is a proud moment not only for me but also for my family, who stood behind me like a rock and wanted to see me on new heights in the field of cricket,” Nasir Baba, a cricket player from downtown, said.
Sarsheel, who plays for Gulmarg Royals said that the leagues in which the international players join them gives the local cricketers a boost in absence of the proper cricketing infrastructure. “We learn from them (International players). We want such leagues to continue in the future so that the local players get a boost and further develop their skills,” Abbas said. (KNO)
