Kashmir willow bats to hit sixers in Cricket World Cup 2023
For the first time in the history of ODI cricket, international players will use bats made of Kashmir willow during the upcoming Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held in India this October.
Usually, cricketers use English willow, and the Kashmir willow has only made occasional presence felt in IPL and T20 world cups.
Over the past few years, the demand for Kashmir Willow bats has increased in the global markets after the T20 and IPL cricket players used them in Indian Premier League and the T20 World Cup games. Kashmiri willow bats are giving tough competition to the English willow bats, both in terms of cost and the quality of the bats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS_3sYgp-aE
Kashmir willow bats are increasingly beings used by cricketers from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman, and by IPL players. Many international players are expected to use the Kashmir willow during the World Cup matches in October as well.
The bats used by international players are manufactured at the GR8 Sports industry in Halmulla Sangam area of Anantnag, which is the first and only ICC-approved brand of Kashmir.
As per the Department of Industries and Commerce, 400 cricket bat manufacturing units are functional in south Kashmir. Of these 220 units are in Bijbehara, Sangam, and Halmulah villages of Anantnag district and 180 in Pujteng, Sethar Charsoo, and Jawbara villages of Awantipora in Pulwama district. More than 1.5 lakh people are directly and indirectly dependent on the cricket bat manufacturing industry in Kashmir.
The growing international demand for Kashmir willow batch will also boost the ‘Make in India’ campaigns and the Aatmanirbhar idea of the Government. Kashmir has been producing bats for over a century, however, it has hardly found its prominence in world cricket until now. With the new discovered opportunities, the Government is also expected to provide support and GI tag for Kashmir willow bats.
The increasing demand for Kashmir willow bats will also boost the local economy and provide employment opportunities for the youth of Kashmir. We hope to see our Indian batsmen also wielding the power of Kashmir willows in the coming days and matches.
