Tendulkar meets para cricketer Amir Lone, gifts him signed bat

Srinagar, Feb 24: In a heart-warming display of sportsmanship and inspiration, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar met Amir Hussain Lone, a para-cricketer from Kashmir who is currently the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir Para cricket team. Tendulkar shared a video capturing their interaction on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

The iconic former Indian batsman appeared visibly moved as he engaged with Amir, whose indomitable spirit and passion for the game despite physical challenges has earned him admiration across the cricketing world. The meeting between the two evoked powerful symbolism, transcending boundaries of ability and bringing together the achievements of an all-time great and the resilience of an underdog who refused to be limited by his circumstances.

Tendulkar, who was on a visit to Kashmir, gifted a bat to Amir, which had a personalised message that read, “To Amir, the real hero. Keep inspiring,”

Amir, the 34-year-old para cricketer, turned into an inspiration when his videos playing cricket went viral on social media in the recent past. The cricketer met with an accident when he was 8 years old and lost both his arms. Despite the major accident, the cricketer did not give up and started playing para cricket in his unique style.

“ I am so overwhelmed with happiness by meeting you. You are the inspiration that I played cricket, and I am here because of you. In my life, I faced many challenges, but I was never hopeless; I made a resolve that I have to achieve my dreams and keep going on,” an emotional Amir told Tendulkar.

Sachin was equally inspired and said how he was amazed to see Amir play cricket when he saw his video on social media last month.

“You have achieved something that no one else has. Despite going through mental trauma at such a young age due to the accident, you overcame everything and became an inspiration for others. You don’t realise what an achievement you have attained,” Tendulkar is seen telling Amir in the video.