The Great Game Called Cricket...

"It was destined to happen"
Kashmiri cricketer Parveez Rasool after his release from police custody.

Parveez Rasool rushes to Rahul Dravid, shakes hands, photo opportunity grabbed.

A dream fulfilled. "He inspires. Only two days ago, a hectic tournament got over for him, and today he is back at the nets. No wonder he is up there among the best. Meeting him was a dream," chuckles Parveez.

On Friday, as Dravid was guiding the Bangalore Royal Challengers to victory, Parveez was going through probably the worst day of his life.

The J&K player, in Bangalore to play in U-22 CK Nayudu Trophy, was picked by the Karnataka Police from his room at the Chinnaswamy Stadium for allegedly finding traces of explosives in his kit bag.

He was grilled for about eight hours before being released for want of evidence.

The incident left him broken, devastated.

"For a while, I thought what is this? I must leave the game if cricket can bring such a shame," says the promising player, who scored 550 runs in 5 matches besides taking 13 wickets with his off-spin in the last edition of the same tournament.

One of his teammates asks a very disturbing queson: "Was he picked up by the police because he is from Jammu and Kashmir?"

Even as we grapple for answer, his coach Abdul Qayoom joins the conversation.

"I know Parveez since he was 12. He is very innocent. You must speak to him to understand his innocence. What happened that day was very unfortunate. We had even decided to pack off our bags and return," says Qayoom.

Parveez was not even supposed to be in Bangalore. Instead, he should have been now in Delhi for the North Zone T20 championship. "We have been for the first time promoted to the elite group because of which the management decided to send me here. Guess, this was destined," says Parveez.

The 21-year-old now wants to play the game for Kashmir.

He wants to change the image people have of the insurgency-marred state.

"The situation in Kashmir is not very bad. It has improved drastically in the last few years. I want to change the perception people outside Kashmir have about the state. I will do this through cricket. And yes, like every other cricketer, I want to play for India one day," says Parveez.