If a video doing the rounds on social media is to be believed, then a local Kashmiri team played in Pakistan’s jersey and also sung their national anthem before the match.
According to a report on InUth, the match took place at Wayil grounds in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on 2nd April. The team, named Baba Darya Ud Din (after a popular saint whose shrine is situated in Ganderbal), said that they wanted their team to look different and didn’t want Kashmiris to think that they’ve forgotten about the Kashmir issue. The competing team was dressed in white.
#BREAKING — Local cricket team in Kashmir sings Pakistan anthem; Kashmiri cricketers wear Pakistani team uniform pic.twitter.com/LVBfDPfBqy
— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 5, 2017
The game happened on the same day separatists called for a strike against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state to inaugurate the Nashri tunnel.
The commentator announced before the game that the Pakistani anthem would be played as a mark of respect.
“Why should we be scared when Kashmir is a disputed territory and Allah is with us? We have not harmed anyone but just played cricket the way we wanted to with all the creativity and relevance to our homeland,” the team told InUth.
The ground where the match took place lies next to a police station in the area.
Click here to read the full report.
Feature image source: Twitter