<p>Captain Parvez Rasool sees Jammu & Kashmir’s quarterfinal against Karnataka as his team’s biggest match till date. Despite Karnataka’s interest to play the game in Bengaluru, J&K insisted that the match be played at their backyard as scheduled.</p>.<p>“We didn’t want to miss this great opportunity,” Rasool began in interaction with DH. “Hosting the quarterfinal is a special moment. Karnataka have so many star players and this a chance for our kids and youngsters to see them play live. All these days, they watched them on television. Matches like these are a big boost for J&K cricket,” he said of the game to be played in Gandhi Memorial Science College ground from Thursday.</p>.<p>The political unrest in the valley hit J&K’s pre-season preparations. The team moved to Baroda for their preparatory camp. It wasn’t an ideal start to the tournament but the players showed great grit, said Rasool.</p>.<p>“Cricket is the most loved sport here. You see children on the streets playing the game almost every day. There is a lot of passion. As a senior player, I told my team-mates that whatever be the situation, we need to give back to the people here,” he offered.</p>.<p>His team did respond to Rasool’s words as J&K, with six wins, one loss and two draws, logged 39 points to top Group C. “It’s a proud moment for us that we are in the quarterfinals. I led the team when we reached the last-eight stage last time in the 2013-14 season. J&K cricket have witnessed drastic changes in the last two years. We have managed to spot talents from districts. Our hard work of two years has paid off,” he said. </p>.<p>Rasool pointed out the positive influence of former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan’s role as a mentor. “With the amount of experience he (Irfan) has, it comes as a blessing that he is a mentor to so many youngsters in the team. He talks to the youngsters and fills them with confidence. He has played a huge role in making them mentally strong. If we are ready to take on any side today, it’s because of the fearless attitude instilled by Irfan bhai,” he explained.</p>
<p>Captain Parvez Rasool sees Jammu & Kashmir’s quarterfinal against Karnataka as his team’s biggest match till date. Despite Karnataka’s interest to play the game in Bengaluru, J&K insisted that the match be played at their backyard as scheduled.</p>.<p>“We didn’t want to miss this great opportunity,” Rasool began in interaction with DH. “Hosting the quarterfinal is a special moment. Karnataka have so many star players and this a chance for our kids and youngsters to see them play live. All these days, they watched them on television. Matches like these are a big boost for J&K cricket,” he said of the game to be played in Gandhi Memorial Science College ground from Thursday.</p>.<p>The political unrest in the valley hit J&K’s pre-season preparations. The team moved to Baroda for their preparatory camp. It wasn’t an ideal start to the tournament but the players showed great grit, said Rasool.</p>.<p>“Cricket is the most loved sport here. You see children on the streets playing the game almost every day. There is a lot of passion. As a senior player, I told my team-mates that whatever be the situation, we need to give back to the people here,” he offered.</p>.<p>His team did respond to Rasool’s words as J&K, with six wins, one loss and two draws, logged 39 points to top Group C. “It’s a proud moment for us that we are in the quarterfinals. I led the team when we reached the last-eight stage last time in the 2013-14 season. J&K cricket have witnessed drastic changes in the last two years. We have managed to spot talents from districts. Our hard work of two years has paid off,” he said. </p>.<p>Rasool pointed out the positive influence of former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan’s role as a mentor. “With the amount of experience he (Irfan) has, it comes as a blessing that he is a mentor to so many youngsters in the team. He talks to the youngsters and fills them with confidence. He has played a huge role in making them mentally strong. If we are ready to take on any side today, it’s because of the fearless attitude instilled by Irfan bhai,” he explained.</p>