Mehraj, Ishfaq star attractions at 6-team football meet

Kashmir is all set to host a national level invitational football tournament next week, featuring six teams with two of state's most well-known footballers Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Ishfaq Ahmed also plying their trade infront of their home fans.
"The 10-day Kashmir Invitational Football tournament will commence here from June 2 in which six teams with Air India, ONGC, State Bank of Travancore (SBT), Jammu and Kashmir Forest XI, State Police and J and K Bank vying for top honours," Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) President Zamir Thakur told reporters here.
He said this is after a gap of 30 years that the valley will be hosting a tournament which is being jointly organised by JKFA and State Sports Council.

State Governor N N Vohra will inaugurate the tournament and the inaugural match of the tournament will be held at Bakshi Stadium between Air India and Jammu and Kashmir Police teams, he said.
He said the final will be played on June 10. The highlight of the tournament is that some of the matches will be played outside Srinagar city, Thakur said.
He added that the match between Jammu and Kashmir Bank and State Bank of Travancore will be played in north Kashmir Bandipora district on June 5, another match between ONGC and state police will be held at Mini Stadium in Baramulla town, also in north Kashmir.

Mehraj and Ishfaq -- the two players from the state, who have played for India apart from being active I-League players are the star attractions. They will be representing the state forest team.

"The main aim to organise the tournament is to popularise the game of football in the valley which was severely hit after the eruption of militancy in 1990," he said.
He said JKFA believes that the attention of youth should be diverted towards sports so that they remain away from many prevailing evils in the society.
"Unfortunately, large number of youth are reportedly involved in drug addiction which is a matter of concern for our society. Every one knows that the sports activities keep people away from all bad habits and sportsperson remain physically fit and mentally sound," he said.