In the quiet village of Waghama in Jammu and Kashmir, a story of near-impossible resilience is taking its next big leap. Amir Hussain Lone, the 34-year-old captain of the J&K para-cricket team who famously plays without arms, is moving from the pitch to the dugout. With a massive grant of ₹67.6 lakh from the Adani Foundation, Amir is currently setting up an indoor cricket academy in his native Bijbehara to ensure no talented child faces the hurdles he did.
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The Day Everything Changed
The year was 1997. An eight-year-old Amir was delivering lunch to his brother at their family’s sawmill when a freak accident with a bandsaw severed both his arms. The tragedy didn’t just take his limbs; it brought a wave of societal coldness.
“People used to tell my parents to give up on me, to not waste money,” Amir recalls. “A teacher even told me that school was not meant for disabled children.
Amir Developed A Unique Technique
Instead of retreating, Amir innovated. He taught himself to use his feet for daily tasks—shaving, writing, and even swimming. But his true passion remained cricket. To play the game he loved, he developed a technique that has since stunned the world:
Batting: He tucks the bat firmly between his right shoulder and chin, using his body’s rotation to find gaps.
Bowling: He uses his feet with a “karate-like” sweeping motion, gripping the ball between his toes to deliver professional-grade leg spin.
Meeting the ‘God of Cricket’
Amir’s resolve eventually caught the eye of his idol, Sachin Tendulkar. In 2024, the “Master Blaster” visited Amir in Kashmir, later gifting him a signed bat and even opening the innings with him during a charity match.
“Amir, never leave cricket. You are made for this game,” Tendulkar told him, a validation that Amir says made all the years of struggle worth it.
The Amir Cricket Academy
Set to be fully operational this season, the Amir Cricket Academy will feature indoor turf pitches to bypass Kashmir’s heavy winters. The academy aims to provide free coaching to nearly 100 underprivileged and specially-abled children.
