With World Cup 2023 around the corner, Kashmiri cricket bat manufacturers are gearing up for an anticipated surge in demand.
As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), ODI World Cup 2023, will start from October 5, and this season, many international players this year are going to use Kashmir willow cricket bats.
Kashmir cricket bat manufacturers said the demand for the Kashmir willow cricket bats has increased by 10 times in the last few weeks.
“We are anticipating a further surge in demand. Almost one lakh cricket bats are being exported to various states per week to meet the demand. It’s cricket fever everywhere during the World Cup and we are boosting our production to cater to cricket lovers,” said Fawzul Kabir, spokesperson of the Kashmir Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association.
Kabir’s company-made cricket bats are going to be used by at least 17 international cricketers in the World Cup matches.
He said currently, the demand for Kashmiri willow cricket bats is emerging from the entire India.
“We expect the demand to go even higher as the ODI World Cup begins. From Odisha to Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and other states, cricket lovers are preferring Kashmiri cricket bat this season,” he said.
Spokesperson, South Sports Goods Manufacturers Association, Firdous Ahmad Khan said the demand for both seasoned and tennis cricket bats has surged during the recent past.
“The best thing that has happened recently is that young entrepreneurs are running the affairs of the industry. Our cricket bats have already featured in IPL and other tournaments, which did a good publicity of Kashmiri willow. Right now, orders are coming for both seasoned and tennis bats,” he said.
Khan said every unit holder is now increasing the production of cricket bats in view of the World Cup 2023.
“Demand is certainly going to be on the higher side, so right now our unitholders are increasing the production of cricket bats,” he added.
The surge in demand for Kashmiri cricket bats is not limited to domestic markets. Export orders from countries such as India, England, Australia, and New Zealand have also seen a notable uptick as the World Cup approaches
Currently, Kashmir has 400 factories manufacturing cricket bats, with which 1.5 lakh people are directly and indirectly associated.
The Jammu Kashmir admin is also working hard to get a geographic indication (GI) for Kashmir willow bats—(KNO)