After 35 years, Jammu witnesses return of international cricket

After 35 years, Jammu witnesses return of international cricket

The wait is finally over as the batter takes strike and the bowler measures his runup to break the drought of international cricket after 35 years at the M A Stadium in Jammu Monday.

Around a hundred cricket legends from across the world will reignite the cricket mania during the T20 Legends League Monday evening in the Union Territory’s winter capital city of Jammu and send a message of peace.

“Jammu set for cricket extravaganza as international cricketers arrive for Legends League,’’ posted J&K Sports Council on X.

Last time, Jammu had hosted an international cricket tournament between India and New Zealand was on December 19, 1988, a year before militancy hit Jammu and Kashmir.

Four matches are scheduled to be played on November 27, 29, 30 and December 1 with the opening contest to be between between Harbhajan Singh-led Manipal Tigers and Australian cricketer Aaron Finch-led Southern Superstars under the floodlights at 7 pm Monday.

The remaining three matches will be: Bhilwara Kings vs Southern Superstars; India Capitals vs Gujarat Gaints; and Bhilwara Kings vs Urbanrisers Hyderabad on November 29, 30 and December 1, respectively, at the same venue.

Apart from former Indian cricketers Mohammad Kaif, S Sreesanth, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan, others include Shane Watson (Australia), Tilakarante Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Dwanye Smith and Tino Best (West Indies), Kevin O’Brien (Ireland), Hashim Amla and Morne Morkel (South Africa), Kevin Petersen (England), Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh), Ross Taylor and Martin Guptil (New Zealand), and Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan).

Asked what prompted him to choose Jammu and Kashmir for the international cricket event when many are wary of the situation in the UT, co-founder and CEO of Legends League Cricket, Raman Raheja, said, “it is where I saw this as an opportunity’’.

With an aim to host the league matches mainly in smaller towns and cities which have been deprived of international cricket, he said Jammu and Kashmir was on top of their list from the beginning. Moreover, the UT administration readily agreed to offer all available facilities for the event, he added.