A Cricketer Without Arms: Amir, An Inspiration

An accident at a saw mill left an eight-year-old Amir Hussain Lone without his arms. For three years after, he struggled in a hospital as he recovered. However, from a time when people actually suggested to his father that he “get rid of him”, Amir has become the pride of his family.

From south Kashmir’s Bijbehara, Amir not only managed to make his feet work as his hands, but even learnt to swim and play cricket. Now 26, he is the captain of Jammu and Kashmir’s para cricket team.

“After the accident, people told my father that I will become a burden on him. I thought, no, I will not let that happen and decided to fight,” says Amir.

He studied till college level where a teacher discovered his cricketing talent and introduced him to para cricket. Steely reserve and practice eventually made him a team captain. It also turned him into a mini celebrity among his friends and family.

“Whenever life pushes me down, I remember the struggle and success of Amir. He is a real inspiration,” said a friend from Amir’s village.