Softball stalwart Billall Haslim laid to rest at Ogle, ECD

Softball stalwart Billall Haslim was laid to rest at the Ogle Cemetery on the East Coast of Demerara on Thursday.
A large number of softball players, among other relatives and friends, paid their final respects during the home-going ceremony held at the Muslim Youth Organization on Woodford Avenue, Georgetown.

The late Billall Haslim

A genuine softball all-rounder, Haslim died from a cardiac attack last Friday morning at Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital. The 41-year-old has left to mourn his wife Sunita Haslim, his only brother, Wasim, and his only sister, Tasleema Haslim-Stanley, along with his parents.
President of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc., Ian John, attended the funeral, and, during his eulogy, said the game has lost a player of great talent. According to John, a former Guyana Under-15 cricket manager, Haslim had been very talented, and had done exceptionally well while he represented various softball teams across the county of Demerara.
John mentioned that Haslim had played for city side Regal in several competitions held under the auspices of the Softball League, and had demonstrated his all-round ability on a consistent basis.
John said Haslim had again been scheduled to travel with the Regal team to participate in the annual Florida Cup last March, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had caused the three-day softball tournament to be cancelled.
John revealed that Haslim had also showcased his talent in hardball cricket, in which he had represented the prominent Georgetown Cricket Club, while he had also played for the MYO and the Ogle Cricket Club.
Haslim had commenced his softball career playing for Park Rangers, then he had moved on to exhibit his skills in playing for Mike’s Pharmacy under the Guyana Softball Cricket Association. He had also represented other teams in the Guyana Softball League’s nationwide GT&T ten-ten tournament.
Tasleema Stanley came from Canada to be at the funeral service, but her brother Wasim, who is currently in USA, was prevented from so doing by flight restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her remarks, Tasleema Stanley declared that the family ‘is very saddened’ at her brother’s passing, but she took the opportunity to express her gratitude for all the support shown them during their time of bereavement.
After the funeral ceremony at Woolford Avenue, the body was taken to Ogle for burial. His cousin and former Guyana first-class opening batsman, Azeemul Haniff, was in attendance.