Snow baseball championship held in Gulmarg

Gulmarg, Mar. 16 (ANI): Young and enthusiastic baseball players participated in a snow baseball championship held in picturesque Gulmarg from March 13 to March 15.

Gulmarg experiences heavy snowfall during winter and remains covered with snow for about six months, offering an excellent playground for winter sports, including snow Rugby and skiing.

The snow baseball championship was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Baseball Association (JKBA) in collaboration with Amateur Baseball Federation of India (ABFI), New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council (JKSSC).

Six teams of the state including men and women participants took part in the triangular snow baseball championship, held at an altitude of 8500 feet.

This action-packed sport, requiring a lot of courage and determination from the participants fascinated the local youth, who expressed hope that snow baseball would be taken to the national and international level.

"We are feeling really good and want teams from other states also to come and play here. We hope that the sport (snow baseball) is taken to the national and international level also," said Zulifkar Ali, a participant.

Excited participants were hopeful of round the year activity in the game.

"The championship has started this year and we are hopeful it would go a long way. This year we saw that we can play baseball on snow also and it would be good if we can play next year also as students are showing keen interest," said Rehana, a girl participant.

Fida Hussian, member of the organising committee, said that the sport would give a fillip to the already booming tourism sector of the state.

"This is quite beneficial for our economy, which will boost winter tourism and tourists from many countries are interested to visit places where it snows. Besides, a new sports culture would also be evolved that in snow apart from skiing, there are other sports also, which can be played," said Hussain. (ANI)