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Muzamil Jaleel

SRINAGAR, MAY 18: At a time when the Indian Premier League (IPL) fever has gripped the country, Kashmir is desperately waiting for its only representative, 19-year-old medium-pacer Mohammad Mudasir, to play.

When Mudasir was called to join Yuvraj Singh’s King’s XI Punjab, it generated a lot of interest in the Valley. Local newspapers ran his profiles and showered praises on his bowling skills. And when his name didn’t appear in the team’s playing XI, he had to literally swear that he, indeed, had signed a contract with the team. “I am part of the team. I haven’t been called to play as yet but I am hopeful,” Mudasir told The Indian Express.

Mudasir was discovered during a pace hunt conducted by Javagal Srinath and T A Sekar of the MRF pace foundation at Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium, Srinagar in 2006. He represented the J&K under-19 team last season and bagged 35 wickets.

Mudasir has not yet made his debut but IPL has already confused the decades-old cricket loyalties in Kashmir which were always an expression of separatist politics here.

The cricket pitch was, in fact, the first platform for separatist politics. On October, 13, 1983 when West Indies came to play India in Srinagar, the separatists dug the pitch to protest. The police arrested Mushtaq-ul-Islam and Showkat Bakhshi — who later became militant commanders — inside the stadium while Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah too was charge-sheeted.

The separatists would always support any team playing against India, especially Pakistan. Now when Sourav Ganguly plays alongside Shoaib Akhtar or VVS Laxman with Shahid Afridi, the marriage of money, entertainment and cricket have managed to melt the borders.

“An Indo-Pak cricket match has always been like a war here. Now when cricket heroes of India and Pakistan are playing together, it certainly is changing the mindset of people here,” said Firdous Ganai, a local cricketer from Sopore. “IPL has made it only a game here, taking away the politics”.

National Conference president Omar Abdullah agrees that cricket has never been taken just as a game in Kashmir before IPL. “It (IPL) has one big advantage. It has allowed the people to enjoy cricket. You can cheer Shoaib Akhtar’s fast bowling or Adam Gilchrist and Ganguly’s batting without worrying about country loyalties,” he says.

Abdullah said that he too has been waiting for Mudasir to play. “It will be good,” he said. “Our other fast bowler (Abid Nabi) reached very close but then chose to go for the rebel league (ICL)”.

The separatists, however, have different ideas. “We have a problem with IPL because India is sponsoring it. It isn’t a serious issue but it would be better if Kashmiri players don’t join it,” said Mushtaq-ul-Islam, the 1983 protester.

Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat, however, said that the separatists are not against the game. “We didn’t prevent Indian team from playing the game but people hooted the players. They supported the West Indies. That is where the battle lines were drawn”. When asked about IPL which has transcended national boundaries, Bhat said it is the globalisation of cricket. “It would only have a positive impact on Kashmir. Also if they play sports to establish peace or fostering friendship, they will have to resolve Kashmir issue and it goes in our favour,” he said.