Lolab Cricketer Breaks Into J&K Squad for SMAT, Becomes First from Frontier District To Represent JK On Ntn’l Level

Noor Ul Hassan Andrabi

Srinagar: In a significant news for people of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, a boy from Lolab, Irfan Ul Haq, has been named in the squad to represent Jammu and Kashmir in coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024.

Haq, a 28 year all-rounder, has been a regular member of the J&K Cricket team in various junior national tournaments, before making it to the coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Coming from a far off place Lolab, the news of Irfan’s inclusion in the squad has brought much jubilance and celebration for the natives and people of Kupwara alike.

Since the announcement of Irfan’s inclusion in the squad, relatives, friends and neighbours have been visiting to extend their well-wishes to the family.

Besides Irfan, the other players announced by Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) for SMAT, include; Paras Dogra (C), Qamran Iqbal, Vivrant Sharma, Shubham Khajuria, Abdul Samad, Musaif Ajaz, Shivansh Sharma, Lone Nasir, Abid Mushtaq, Auqib Nabi, Rasikh Salam, Yudhvir Singh, Ashwin Murugan and Sahil Lotra.

It is pertinent to mention here that Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 National Tournament is a Premier Cricket Tournament organised by BCCI. This Tournament is the gateway to IPL and Indian T20 Cricket Team.