ABU DHABI // While many people avoid strenuous activity during Ramadan, Umer Mir and his mates can’t wait to pad up and hit the pitch.
Umer, 26, and other players and supporters within the Indian community in Dubai spend their evenings during the holy month playing cricket tournaments.
They say the game helps to build a sense of community and belonging among Kashmiri expatriates, and gives them some good exercise after iftar.
“We usually break our fasts at home, complete our prayers and head down to the grounds for a packed game of Twenty20 cricket,” Umer says.
“Friends and families of players come to watch too, which makes it more than just a game of cricket.
“It is sort of a socialising event where people come together, catch up, watch the game and spend time with people from their community in a home away from home. We do not need motivation to get up and go play for a couple of hours.
“We spend the day indoors not doing much, and although it can get quite hot and humid in the nights, the fact that we are meeting people from back home and spending Ramadan together with them makes us eager to go and play.
“Sometimes we hold Ramadan tournaments, where eight to 10 teams compete, otherwise we play matches among the teams of Kashmir Super League, which is an annual cricket tournament in Dubai.”
The idea of the cricket matches fits in perfectly with the message of Ramadan, Umer says.
“The true meaning of Ramadan involves cleansing oneself, repentance and feeling closer to God. The fasting part of it aims to make us realise the plight of the less fortunate.
“Many people tend to sleep all day and laze around during the month, but the true value of Ramadan will be understood only if you continue with the same routine, the usual physical activity and treat it as any normal day.”
Umer says the players break their fasts with fruit and water before they hit the pitch, and sometimes the matches finish just in time for suhoor.
“We have times when games finish just in time for suhoor, at which point the teams and their families all have it together,” he says.
“The feeling of being surrounded with your people, friends and family during Ramadan, especially away from home, is a blessing and we are so glad to have that in Dubai.”
mmannan@thenational.ae