Srinagar: Four players of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cricket team will play with Kashmir willow made bats during the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia from October 16.
The four will brandish themselves with Kashmir willow made bats and protective gear and other equipment during their match with the Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Namibia in the T20 World Cup.
The players are all-rounder Zahoor Khan, Juniad Sidique, batsman Kashep Dawood and wicketkeeper batsman Fahad Nawaz, GR8 owner Fawzul Kabeer told UNI.
He said the agreement with these players was signed during International Cricket Council (ICC) qualifiers matches played during April-May in Dubai.
The UAE will play its first match with the Neitherlands on October, 16, with Sri Lanka on October 18 and with Namibia on October 20.
“This is for the first time in the history of cricket that bats manufactured in Kashmir and made with Kashmir willow will be used in such a great even of T20 World Cup cricket tournament along with protective gear and other equipment a second time in a row,” Kabeer said.
Earlier, the Kashmiri willow similar to the United Kingdom’s “Salix Alba” wood handmade GR8 bat was used by the two Oman cricket team players—Naseem Khushi and Bilal Khan on October 19, 2021 during the T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan had also endorsed the Kashmir willow bats manufactured and marketed by the GR8 sports Kashmir in Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirate during April last year.
GR8 has also roped in three Indian Premier League (IPL) players of Delhi Capitals to play with Kashmir willow made bats and protective gears. However, the owner did not divulge their names.
Seven players of Afghanistan will also perform with Kashmir willow made bats during the forthcoming One-Day and Test series.
“Kashmir willow made bats are better than the United Kingdom’s Salix Alba,” Kabeer said. “We are exporting our GR8 made bats to a company in England, but unfortunately they are labelling our products on their own name.”
Kabeer of GR8 Sports was recently elected as Vice President of the Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association of Kashmir.
