Srinagar, 10 Sep: International cricket is making a long-awaited comeback to Kashmir after nearly four decades as Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium is set to host the final leg of the Legends League Cricket (LLC). Six matches featuring prominent international cricket stars will be played in Srinagar from October 9 to October 16.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Raman Raheja, co-founder of LLC, alongside cricketer Mohammad Kaif, announced the tournament’s return. “After almost four decades, Kashmir will host international cricket, with legends participating in the LLC,” Raheja said.
The tournament will begin in Jodhpur on September 20, followed by six matches in Surat. The final leg will be played in Jammu and Kashmir, with six matches scheduled in Jammu from October 3 and seven matches in Srinagar starting from October 9.
“This will be the third season of LLC,” Raheja added, highlighting that international stars including Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Ian Bell, and others will be playing. “Around 124 cricketers from 30 countries, excluding Pakistan, will participate.”
Raheja also addressed the choice of Bakshi Stadium, primarily a football ground, as the venue for the matches. “Curators from the United States are working to make the pitch suitable for cricket while keeping it multi-functional for football as well,” he explained. With a seating capacity of over 30,000, Bakshi Stadium was selected over Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, which can only hold 13,000 spectators.
Tickets for the event will be available on Paytm within the next few days, with Raheja assuring that there won’t be a shortage of tickets.
Excitement is building in the Valley as cricket fans eagerly await the arrival of cricket legends such as Shikhar Dhawan, Chris Gayle, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Ian Bell, and Harbhajan Singh, who will represent six different franchises in the LLC. The final match of the tournament is scheduled for October 16. (KNO)
