The second edition of the T20 Blind World Cup, which concluded today with hosts India beating Pakistan by nine wickets in the final at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, was contested with great zeal and dynamism. The ten-nation tournament featured 48 matches, played at various venues across the country.
Among the venues was the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Delhi Cricket Ground, which hosted four matches of the tournament, including the opening clash between India and Bangladesh. These fixtures formed part of the pre-event schedule of Sportech, the institute’s annual inter-collegiate sporting extravaganza which is orchestrated by the Board of Student Activities (BSA).
Sportech organised the games in close collaboration with the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), which is in turn supported by the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and is affiliated to the World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC). Witnessing the cricketers overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles and play with elan was undoubtedly an inspiration to the students.
The Indian and Bangladeshi teams line up at the IIT Delhi Ground before the start of the opening match of the 2017 T20 Blind World Cup (source – sportech 2017)
“At Sportech, we believe in the idea of playing with pride, and we think representing one’s nation is the epitome of that sentiment, which is why we wanted to spread the word across. Watching these matches was an enriching experience in itself.”, said Ishan Tyagi, General Secretary, Board for Sports Activities, IIT Delhi.
The whole spectacle spanning across four matches in as many days was enlightening, to say the least, for the people involved. The spirited players served as beacons of hope as they showcased their skills that oozed from their play. The spectators were left enthralled by the astonishing batting performances as well as brilliant displays of fielding.
It is to be noted that according to blind cricket rules, players are segregated under three categories. Each team of eleven has four players who are totally blind, categorised under B1; three players who are partially blind, categorized under B2; and four players who are partially sighted, categorized under B3.
India, seeking to defend the title they won in 2012, posted a comfortable 129-run win over Bangladesh in the first match on 30th January. Experienced batsman Ketan Patel (B1), who was later named man of the match, top-scored with 98 while opener Prakasha Jayaramaiah (B3) contributed 96 as the hosts piled up 279/5. Bangladesh were restricted to 150/7 in reply.
Action from the T20 Blind World Cup match between Sri Lanka and West Indies, played at the IIT Delhi Ground on 1st February (source – sportech 2017)
The next day, New Zealand bore the brunt of a superlative batting display from the Sri Lankan openers. Ruwan Wasantha (B2) hammered 170* while Suranga Sampath (B3) scored 146* to help their side to an imposing 334/0. Unsurprisingly, New Zealand’s batsmen had no answer to this mammoth total and could manage only 120/7.
Sri Lanka continued their good form in the following match, against the West Indies on 1st February. Sampath blasted his second century in succession, this time a knock of 116. Chandana Deshapriya (B3) gave him able support by scoring 108. The eventual total of 281/2 was too tall to chase for the Windies, who were kept to 151/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
The West Indians were in action again on 2nd February, as they took on Bangladesh. Smarting from their big defeat to India, Bangladesh bounced back with a facile eight-wicket win while the West Indies suffered their second loss in a row. Kevin Andrew Douglas’ 123 went in vain as Bangladesh, thanks to a knock of 90 by Tanzjlur Rahman, chased down the total of 195/6.
CABI was created as a platform for the social empowerment of the visually impaired through sport. Sportech’s association with them intersects with their vision of sport as a means of achieving greater inclusion and unity in society and their collaboration with the T20 Blind World Cup 2017 is an embodiment of that commitment.
The Cricket Cauldron 