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Kevin Pietersen of Australia on the first day of the third Test Match against Pakistan at Headingley (August 2006)
© AFP Paul Ellis

With the Cricket World Cup due next year, cricket bat manufactures in Kashmir are looking forward to a brisk business, catering to the heavy demand of bats by cricketers from around the world.

Spread over a radius of 20 kilometers on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the cricket bat industry has an impressive reputation around the world.

These bats are manufactured in Bijbehara, Sangam, Hallmullaha, Sethar, Pujteng, Mirzapor and Charsoo areas of Anantnag district situated in the southern parts of Srinagar. One can see thousands of cricket bats displayed by the roadside and thousands more being scraped on their rough edges and piled in hundreds.

According to Khursheed Ahmed, General Manager, Industrial Estate in Anantnag, "Generally, all those individuals who work in it come from the same family. The bat industry is providing employment to thousands of people. Today it has got not only a national but international market. To make it an export-oriented industry, the government has recently opened a facility counter, which is under construction and the government has sanctioned rupees five crores."

Kashmir willow is known around the world and is second only to the famous English willow. It is much sought after by leading batsmen in India, the Caribbean isles, Down Under, Africa and England.

The fine quality cricket bats manufactured in Kashmir are exported and also supplied to the domestic market of the country, the cricket bat manufacturers in Jammu and Kashmir are working overtime to meet the demand that is expected to grow manifold as the World Cup cricket fever catches up.

"The bat industry is also proving good for the local Kashmiri youth who manage to earn about 3,500 to 7,000 rupees a month. Our Cricket bat industry mainly thrives on Indian Cricket. When our team performs well, we do good business as we start selling bats in every State. If the performance of the Indian cricket team is good, the sales will increase on its own," said Nazir Ahmed Salroo, President, Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association.

"As the World Cup is nearing the demand for cricket bats has increased. Orders come from outside and we benefit from that. The Kashmir cricket bat is famous abroad and is appreciated by everyone," said Irfan Ahmed, worker.

At present an estimated 10,000 persons are directly or indirectly associated with over manufacturing units here in Kashmir.

In 1998, in an initiative for the promotion of this trade within Kashmir, the State government enforced a law which has provision for stringent punishment for willow smugglers who are caught illegally taking willow outside the valley. (ANI)

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