J&K players bring medal and cheers in Asian Games, cricket

Bhanu Pratab Singh of Jammu has won a bronze medal in the 18th Asian Games.

 

Kashmir’s local sportspersons have in recent times brought both a medal and cheer to the state with their defining performances.

Among them is Bhanu Pratab Singh of Jammu who won a bronze medal in the 18th Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

India won four bronze medals in Wushu at the Asian Games. Bhanu Pratab Singh brought smiles to his village and to J&K Police as he is employed with them.

J&K’s DGP has recommended Bhanu Pratab Singh, along with his coach Kuldeep Handoo, for promotion to the post of deputy-superintendent of Police.

In another development, in Kashmir Valley, a young talented cricketer from Safa Kadal locality of downtown Srinagar was selected for the national cricket team. Kamran Iqbal has made it to the under-19 national side after he attended a month-long national cricket academy camp which concluded recently.

Talking to the media, Kamran Iqbal said that though he worked very hard during the month-long training, he was pleasantly surprised when he got a call that he has been selected for the under-19 team.

Describing it as a dream come true moment in his life, he said that right from the age of five, he used to play cricket and was very keen to get selected for the national side.

Kamran is a right-handed opening batsman and his selection has given him a new boost. Presently, he is studying at the S.P. Higher Secondary School and is determined that he would be playing the under-19 cricket tournament, slated to begin from 12 September in Lucknow.

He said that his selection to the national under-19 team would serve as an inspiration to young boys who want to make it to the national side.

It is in place to mention that many Kashmiri boys in the recent past have made it to the national side and also to the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. Pervez Rasool from South Kashmir has played for the national side and made his one-day debut against Bangladesh in 2014.

Pervez Rasool, along with another promising cricketer from Kashmir, Manzoor Dar, are playing for two teams of IPL.