Kashmir willow bats shine in T20 World Cup

2 Omani players wield GR8 bats

Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 3: GR8 Sports India Private Ltd’s cricket bats, crafted from Kashmir Willow, made their third consecutive appearance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup today.
Two international cricketers from Oman used these handcrafted bats in their match against Namibia.
Fawzul Kabiir, Managing Director of GR8 Sports, highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating that more players will be seen using Kashmir-made bats in days to come.
Kabiir mentioned that Oman’s Mehran Khan and Bilal Khan played with GR8 Cricket Bats and other gear in the T20 World Cup match. “Many other players representing different countries in the World Cup will also be seen using our equipment,” he added.
He noted that around 400 bat manufacturing units operate in the industrial area from Sangam to Awantipora in southern Kashmir. “GR8 is representing the entire bat industry, bringing a sense of achievement to everyone involved,” he said.
Emphasizing GR8’s commitment to the global cricketing arena, Kabiir stated, “We are proud to create a best-in-class niche in the cricket bat industry. It isn’t only the wood, handle, or sticker that makes a professional cricket bat, but craftsmanship, expertise, adherence to ICC standards, understanding batters’ needs, playing conditions, batting order, and our innovative patented techniques and technologies.”
Kabiir explained that it took GR8 14 years of R&D to craft the Kashmir Willow Wood into a professional cricket bat.
“Our relentless hard work and persistent efforts led to a major breakthrough. We have innovated a product that belongs to our indigenous industry, with significant potential to uplift the entire industry of Kashmir, India,” he said.