Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association pulls out of Vizzy Trophy after failing to contact players due to lockdown in state

The Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has decided not to send a team for upcoming domestic competition Vizzy Trophy after the board failed to make contact with the players.

File photo of Parvez Rasool. PTI

According to a report in The Indian Express, the curfew situation in the state post the abrogation of Article 370 and the blockage of communication channels has caused difficulties for the state's cricket association to establish contact with their captain Parvez Rasool and other players in the valley.

"It's unlikely we will be going to play Vizzy Trophy. The situation is improving, but the biggest obstacle has been in communicating with our players. We have cellphone numbers of all our players in our association office, but they have not given any landline numbers. In today's time, people don't use a landline and rely on a cellphone. We have managed to speak to a few players but couldn't speak to those who are in the Valley as their mobile phones aren't working. Also, we don't know where Parvez Rasool is," JKCA SAH Bukhari told The Indian Express.

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The JKCA had earlier registered its team for the Vizzy Trophy, which is organised by the Andhra Cricket Association and will begin in Visakhapatnam on 22 August.

In an earlier report by Sportstar, JKCA administrator Justice (retired) CK Prasad had written to Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik, requesting him for travel arrangements of players who have been picked to represent the state in the Vizzy Trophy.

The email, which the Sportstar report mentioned, read: "I may inform your Excellency that JKCA Cricket team has consented to participate in Vizzy Trophy Cricket Tournament scheduled to be held at Vishakhapatnam from August 22, 2019 and for that purpose (we) selected players who hail from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir. As originally planned the team was to leave the state on 20th August, 2019. We are finding it difficult to arrange for the movement of the players. May I have the permission to request Your Excellency to help us to send JKCA Cricket Team for participation in the aforesaid Trophy?"

Jammu and Kashmir's player cum mentor Irfan Pathan, who had to leave the state after government's advisory, had said that the preparations were going on well for the domestic season before they were halted in the first week of August. However, he said he's hoping for the situation to improve soon so that he can be with the teams and resume his job.