Amir had lost both arms in an accident at the age of seven. But the 34-year-old from Kashmir‘s Anantnag drew praise from none other than Sachin Tendulkar because of his grit, determination and love for the game of cricket.
After learning about Amir’s incredible feats on the field that include bowling with his feet and batting by placing the bat between his shoulder and neck, Tendulkar had posted last month: “Hope I get to meet him one day and get a jersey with his name.Well done for inspiring millions who are passionate about playing the sport.”
And Tendulkar, currently on a holiday in Kashmir, kept his promise of meeting Amir.
The batting legend shared a video on X which shows him visiting Amir’s house, talking to him and his family:
The tale of grit and determination began from the day Amir lost his arms in the accident in the family’s sawmill in 1997 at Waghama village in Anantnag’s Bijbehara.
His determination and love for cricket got him up in three years after timely treatment ensured by his parents and an army unit in the village.
Another pillar of support was his grandmother, who he says encouraged him to return to school after a three-year break. She passed away a few years ago.
Amir has been playing since 2013 after a teacher spotted his talent and introduced him to the local para cricket team.
International innings followed in due course for the Anantnag prodigy, with appearances in Nepal, Dubai, and more recently, in Sharjah for a UAE para league.
Tendulkar isn’t the only icon to have taken note of Amir, who currently captains J&K’s para cricket team.
Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra had invited him to watch the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai.