Kashmiri cricket club wears Pakistani jersey, sings 'Pak sarzamin shad bad'

The Pakistani anthem was sung as a 'mark of respect'.

New Delhi: A local Kashmiri cricket club has triggered a huge controversy after a video surfaced on the social media showing its players wearing Pakistani cricket team's uniform. The team members also sang the Pakistani national anthem before the start of the match.

As per reports, the match was held at the Wayil grounds in Ganderbal on April 2 – separatists had called for a hartal that day to protest against PM Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir for the Chenani-Nashri tunnel.

The team that wore the Pakistani green is named after Baba Darya Ud Din, a popular saint whose shrine is situated in Ganderbal. Their opponents wore white.

InUth reports that prior to the start of the match, the commentator announced through loudspeakers that Pakistani national anthem would be played before the match as a 'mark of respect'. The report adds that the playground is located next to the local police station.

“We wanted our team to look different and also wanted to show fellow Kashmiris that we haven’t forgotten Kashmir issue, so we found this particular theme as most appropriate and catchy,” InUth quoted a player as saying.

Watch the video: