India’s Kashmir willow bat is all set to be a part of the action in the ODI World Cup 2023

After trialling in T20, the Kashmiri willow bat will now make its debut in the 50-over international cricket competition. The Kashmiri bat industry sees this as a new beginning for their venture. Kashmir Willow will feature in several cricket playing nations in the ICC One-Day World Cup.

The project was initiated by GR8 Sports, a small business in the Anantnag neighborhood of Halmula-Sangam, which was successful in getting its produced bats used by the Oman cricket team in the T20 World Cup last year . Now, his bat has made his debut in the pre-qualifying 50 over World Cup.

This development changed the fortunes of the bat makers of Kashmir. As the performance of the Kashmir willow bat has been very satisfactory in the T20 World Cup as the biggest six in the tournament was hit with a Kashmir willow bat, and the performance of the bat remains at par with English willow bats which cost more than a lakh, and have In comparison, the cost of Kashmir willow bat is ten times less than that.

It has given orders to Kashmir bat manufacturers to bat importers from more than a dozen cricket playing countries across the world. And this time the GR8 bat manufacturing industry whose bats were used in the T20 World Cup and now in the ICC 50-over One-Day World Cup has no time to rest to fulfill the order. Last year, Kashmir bat-making companies exported 1.25 lakh bats and this year they believe it will double that.

Fawazal Kabey, owner of GR8 Sports, said, “Last year when we took it to the T20 World Cup, the whole world came to know that we have an alternative in the form of Kashmir Willow, the longest six off our bat. Now we have Made his debut. In One Day International. And as a player is tested more in One day cricket than in T20, so will be the test of our bat. Our bat performance will be judged in one day. Unrecognized we are giving an alternative to the world it is an economical bat and will also help in boosting our economy.”

“We have 400 factories manufacturing cricket bats, on which 1.5 lakh people are directly and indirectly dependent.”

“Since we hit the longest six of the T20 World Cup, told the whole world that Kashmir willow is no less and we have exported 1.25 lakh bats, we are growing,” he added.

Domestic cricketers are also now using Kashmir willow bats, many cricket academies are trying their hands on Kashmir willow bats to train their students, they feel it is the cheapest and best quality bat.

Dehradun Cricket Academy coach Abhishek said. “In the matches I have played I have found that Kashmir willow bats are good, so I am planning to use them in my academy. English willow bats are expensive. This Kashmir willow is good as well as cheap, it A good bad.”

The government is also in the process of giving a unique identity to the Kashmir willow bat and is in the process of giving it a GI tag. Bat makers of Kashmir say that this is a good step and it will help us, but they should also think about replanting willow trees.

As per the statistics, there are 400 cricket bat manufacturing units operating in the Kashmir region. Most of them are working in Bijbehara, Sangam and Halmullah villages of Anantnag district. Annually 30 lakh normal cricket bats are exported from Kashmir to other states and now 1.25 lakh are exported internationally. Now apart from normal bats, around 3-5 lakh bats are expected to be exported every year from Kashmir to cricket playing countries, that too of international level.

This Kashmir cricket bat industry has a turnover of around 100 crores per year and this industry provides livelihood to 1.5 thousand people in Kashmir. And now with this new change it is expected that the business will double. Bat manufacturers said that this change will give a boost to the bat industry of Kashmir as the international market is being opened for all those involved in the trade.