It wasn’t a doll or teddy bear but a cricket bat and ball
that would attract Safia in her childhood. This attraction soon became a
passion which saw her train under watchful eyes of her brother in her
backyard before going on to represent the state in various national
tournaments. Junaid Rather reports about one of the rare success stories
in women cricket of the Valley.It wasn’t an ideal situation for women
folk in the state-Kashmir in specific-to make a career in sports. From
societal taboos to religious bindings, the participation of women in
sports was limited. Of late, the trend is witnessing a change. In last
couple of years, the situation has become friendly for the women to try
their luck in the field of sports. Defeating all the existing barriers,
women are seen toiling hard in playgrounds to harness all the facilities
provided to them; to bolster translating their dreams into performance.
One such name is Safia Ashraf.
Safia, 26, has made her name in cricket by becoming first women from Kashmir to play at national. Hailing from north Kashmir’s Baramullah, Safia started playing cricket, otherwise considered to be a men oriented sport in the valley, in her backyard before graduating to nationals through various ranks. “My cricketing career started from my home, then to gully cricket, to school and after that at national level,” says Safia. Unlike most of kids-girls especially- wasn’t attracted to dolls but to a cricket bat. Safia recalls, “Cricket has always been my passion. I always felt that neither I nor dolls were made for me. After school, the only thing I would do was to take my bat and go to Eidgah, a local ground where I had played my entire childhood cricket, “
When Safia took up the game, and she didn’t get the facilities that are available these days. Safia gives an idea how women cricket has changed over the years. “Women cricket was taken over by the BCCI only some 4-5 years back, now you have all the comfort good accommodation, convenient travelling everything at your disposal I am playing from the time when there used to be dormitory for sleeping, travelling by bus or in sleeper class boogies of trains, but my enthusiasm never made me worried about these thing. It was all about cricket.” Her being born in rural Kashmir- where there is no encouragement for the women to make a career in the sports-didn’t hamper her surge. “In a state like J&K,-particularly in Kashmir -for a girl it is really hard to give wings to your sports career but I never paid any heed to what people used to say. I always felt that I have a talent and I don’t need to be shy of anybody,” she says.Safia didn’t have to search that far for an inspiration. Her brother Mudasir Chalko-an ex-cricketer himself-educated her about the niceties of the game.From griping a bat or holding a ball, it was Mudasir who taught her everything. She remembers that when she used to cheer-up from the audience for her brother when he used to play. “I always accompanied my brother when he had a cricket match just to watch him play and cheer him up. He has been my all time inspiration,” she says.
Safia, alumni of ST. Joseph Higher Secondary, Baramullah,
did her post graduation in Finance from University of Kashmir before
joining Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd. It didn’t slacken her passion for
the game, though. “Since I did my Masters in Finance so I could not find
any better option than working in a bank. My passion for the game is as
intense as it was in my teenage. I have given my blood and sweat to
cricket. I would always love to contribute to it in whatever way I
can.”
Having an A-level cricket coaching course from the BCCI run National Cricket Academy or NCA, Bangalore, Safia doesn’t mind passing on the trade to young Turks. “Whenever my services are required for the betterment of cricket, I will readily do come forward,” says Safia who is currently part of the selection panel for the U-19 girls cricket team.Her playing days would include at least 35 matches at different levels. A good show with the bat for the J&K team won her a place in North Zone cricket team. “We had a match against Punjab. I was the only player who scored much; my good performance fetched me a place in the North-Zone cricket team, which only few girls from Jammu and Kashmir have achieved so far,” Belonging to a family with a cricketing background did help her realize dreams. Her father and brother having played the game themselves proved to be a real boost. “If you want to do something, you can’t do it without the prayers and support of your family. I was immensely supported by all the members of my family,” says Safia.
Safia, 26, has made her name in cricket by becoming first women from Kashmir to play at national. Hailing from north Kashmir’s Baramullah, Safia started playing cricket, otherwise considered to be a men oriented sport in the valley, in her backyard before graduating to nationals through various ranks. “My cricketing career started from my home, then to gully cricket, to school and after that at national level,” says Safia. Unlike most of kids-girls especially- wasn’t attracted to dolls but to a cricket bat. Safia recalls, “Cricket has always been my passion. I always felt that neither I nor dolls were made for me. After school, the only thing I would do was to take my bat and go to Eidgah, a local ground where I had played my entire childhood cricket, “
When Safia took up the game, and she didn’t get the facilities that are available these days. Safia gives an idea how women cricket has changed over the years. “Women cricket was taken over by the BCCI only some 4-5 years back, now you have all the comfort good accommodation, convenient travelling everything at your disposal I am playing from the time when there used to be dormitory for sleeping, travelling by bus or in sleeper class boogies of trains, but my enthusiasm never made me worried about these thing. It was all about cricket.” Her being born in rural Kashmir- where there is no encouragement for the women to make a career in the sports-didn’t hamper her surge. “In a state like J&K,-particularly in Kashmir -for a girl it is really hard to give wings to your sports career but I never paid any heed to what people used to say. I always felt that I have a talent and I don’t need to be shy of anybody,” she says.Safia didn’t have to search that far for an inspiration. Her brother Mudasir Chalko-an ex-cricketer himself-educated her about the niceties of the game.From griping a bat or holding a ball, it was Mudasir who taught her everything. She remembers that when she used to cheer-up from the audience for her brother when he used to play. “I always accompanied my brother when he had a cricket match just to watch him play and cheer him up. He has been my all time inspiration,” she says.
Safia, alumni of ST. Joseph Higher Secondary, Baramullah,
did her post graduation in Finance from University of Kashmir before
joining Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd. It didn’t slacken her passion for
the game, though. “Since I did my Masters in Finance so I could not find
any better option than working in a bank. My passion for the game is as
intense as it was in my teenage. I have given my blood and sweat to
cricket. I would always love to contribute to it in whatever way I
can.”Having an A-level cricket coaching course from the BCCI run National Cricket Academy or NCA, Bangalore, Safia doesn’t mind passing on the trade to young Turks. “Whenever my services are required for the betterment of cricket, I will readily do come forward,” says Safia who is currently part of the selection panel for the U-19 girls cricket team.Her playing days would include at least 35 matches at different levels. A good show with the bat for the J&K team won her a place in North Zone cricket team. “We had a match against Punjab. I was the only player who scored much; my good performance fetched me a place in the North-Zone cricket team, which only few girls from Jammu and Kashmir have achieved so far,” Belonging to a family with a cricketing background did help her realize dreams. Her father and brother having played the game themselves proved to be a real boost. “If you want to do something, you can’t do it without the prayers and support of your family. I was immensely supported by all the members of my family,” says Safia.
No comments:
Post a Comment