The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), which is still awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from India’s Ministry of Sports for the upcoming 4th T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind, scheduled to take place in Pakistan in November-December 2024, has announced that it will begin intensive coaching sessions, for its 26-member squad, from October 27, 2024, in New Delhi.
The T20 World Cup will kick off on November 22, 2024, with the final match scheduled for December 3, 2024, which coincides with International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Chairman of CABI, Dr. Mahantesh Kivadasannavar, in a statement on October 12th, expressed optimism that the Sports Ministry will issue the NOC promptly, ensuring the team is prepared to represent the country and defend their title as World Champions.
Manager of CABI, Dhiraj Sequeira told South Asian Herald, “Cricket for the Blind is beyond boundaries, and I hope the Government of India will help CABI with the NOC to participate in the World Cup to be played in Pakistan. It’s more than just cricket for the blind, it’s about fostering inclusiveness through the sport.”
The 26-member squad will train at various playgrounds in India’s national capital, after which the CABI selection committee will choose the top 17 players to represent India in the World Cup. These 26 players, representing 13 different states of India, were chosen by the selection committee based on their performance in recent years.
The Indian Men’s Blind Cricket Team recently completed a 57-day tour of the United States, including cities such as Washington DC, New York City, Boston, and San Francisco to raise awareness, and promote blind cricket. Over the course of their 11-city tour, the team engaged with schools and institutions for the blind, gathered support from the Indian diaspora and local communities, and returned with an enriching experience.
CABI highlighted that this will be the first time the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council is hosting the T20 World Cup. The previous three tournaments, hosted by CABI and the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, were held in India. India emerged victorious in all three, defeating Pakistan twice, in 2012 and 2017, and Bangladesh in 2022.
Dr. Kivadasannavar noted, “The World Cups are the biggest platforms for Blind Cricketers to exhibit their cricketing skills. Representing the country and playing the world cup in Pakistan is the rarest opportunity to all the players. World Cup victories have always helped CABI to promote Cricket for the Blind and the players got the much-needed awards and recognitions.”
“We are coordinating with the respective Ministries from the Government of India to avail the NOC to participate in the 4th T20 World Cup to be held in Pakistan…” added General Secretary of CABI, Shailender Yadav.
President of CABI, Buse Gowda, emphasized “We had the top 17- member squad ready which played 2 international series this year and toured USA. However, we wanted to provide opportunity to 9 more players to assess their skills so that the best of best could be picked to represent the country in the World Cup,” noting it is an opportunity of a lifetime for the 26 players to give their best and get selected in the 17-member squad.
Each year, 29 men’s state teams and 20 women’s teams compete in the National Tournament. Top performers from these tournaments are selected for the Indian national team.
This year, the 26 players who will participate in Delhi in the coaching camp includes 10 B1 category players (totally blind), 7 B2 category players (with up to 2 meters of vision), and 9 B3 category players (with up to 6 meters of vision).
