Sopore: Women in Kashmir have struggled to be recognised for their contributions, despite their efforts. However, in recent years, women in the region have not only written their own success stories but have also inspired others to follow in their footsteps.
In a latest development, a seven-year-old girl from a remote hamlet in North Kashmir has emerged as a new cricketing sensation. Hurmat Irshad Bhat, from the outskirts of Sopore in Baramulla district has taken the internet by storm with her videos, showcasing her cricketing talent on the field. Her shots resemble those of a professional batsman, impressively soaring through the air.
Her incredible talent has earned recognition from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as well.
Sharing her video on X, the legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar captioned, “Always good to see young girls playing cricket. Watching videos like these brings a smile to my face.”
Taking to Siasat.com, seven-year-old Hurmat said, “My grandmother used to take me to a ground near our house in Pazalpora village where she would play cricket with me.”
She added, “Since long, I have been coming to this ground every day, sometimes early in the morning along with children from neighbourhood, and we play cricket every day.”
Hurmat said, “I got more interest in this game after seeing Indian female cricketer Mithali Raj playing cricket on television. Since then I have a dream to play for Team India.”
She added: “Playing with my teammates gives me immense joy. My greatest aspiration is to become a skilled cricketer. However, we lack a proper turf in this playground, hindering my progress and dreams.”
Irshad Ahmad, who is a driver by profession, told Siasat.com, “I am short of words to express how happy we are after Sachin Tendulkar shared her video.”
He said, “I always loved to see her playing and was really not aware that a day will come when Tendulkar will endorse my daughter’s talent.”
Irshad added, “We are living so far from the city. This is a very poor village where we don’t have a proper cricket facility. However, I will continue to support my daughter to make her dream come true.”
| 
