Our Bats Are on Par with the English Variety: Kashmir Bat Makers

 Srinagar: The thwack of cricket bats made using Kashmir willow is just as good, if not better, than those prepared from the world-renowned English willow, manufacturers located in the Union Territory said.

“Fortyseven international cricketers prefer my bat over the England ones. UAE player Junaid Siddique bolstered our product when he hit the longest six (109 metres) during the 2022 T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka using a bat made by us,” said Fawzul Kabiir, managing director of GR8 Sports and vice-president of the Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association of Kashmir (CBMAK).

Stating that some manufactures had procured artificial intelligence (AI)-backed compressors and other machines, which reduce the weight of the bat, and that they were giving global players a run for their money, Kashmir’s bat-makers lauded the Centre’s initiatives and sought its support.

They said that the Centre’s decision to include willow bats in the handicrafts list has given a boost to the industry.

“The workers take pride in bat-making. They are no longer labourers as they are eligible to be called craftsmen,” said Kabiir.

Some bat manufacturers also said that the Make in India initiative and Startup India have benefited bat manufacturers in Kashmir.

“I urge the government to also provide us with multiple platforms to showcase our product. English willow is being grown and modified just to make cricket bats. Though cricket bats are just one of the byproducts of Kashmir willow, our bats are as good as the ones made of English willow,” said another bat manufacturer from Pulwama district.

There are 427 bat making manufacturers within a 13-km radius from Sangam to Awantipora with 1.5 lakh people working in the industry.

When media persons visited Jammu and Kashmir as part of the media outreach programme, organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB) Hyderabad, some entrepreneurs said that inclusion of willow bats in the official handicrafts list will allow bat manufacturers to access financial assistance, training and welfare programs under schemes like the National Handicrafts Development Program (NHDP) and the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS).

Centre urged to extend full support to local manufacturers