The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) announced that India's first-ever women's blind cricket team will participate in a bilateral series against Nepal from April 25 to 30. The five T20 matches will be played in Pokhara and Kathmandu.
Probables selected from the National Championships earlier this year were chosen for the team, which was finalized after a national camp held in Bhopal. Sushma Patel, a B3 category player, will captain the team.
Efforts by CABI and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to uplift women players in the sport led to this significant development. Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women's team, is the brand ambassador for the Indian women's blind cricket team.
Tour a great exposure for team and efforts for women's game
India and Nepal will play five T20 matches, with the first two at the Pokhara Cricket Ground and the remaining three at the Mulpani Cricket Ground. The Women's Bilateral T20 Cricket Series for the Blind 2023 will begin with the inauguration ceremony on April 25 at the Pokhara Cricket Ground, followed by the opening match.
Dr. G.K Mahantesh, President of CABI, praised the team and said that this tour would provide great exposure to uplift the women's game, with more such tours in the future. The team's success could inspire more women to take up the sport.
E. John David, Secretary General of CABI, expressed his confidence in the team's abilities and said that they would make the country proud.
Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian women's team captain, joined the press conference virtually, while Sushma Patel, the captain of the Indian women's blind cricket team, was present at the occasion. Mr. Shailender Yadav, Secretary of the North Zone of CABI, was also in attendance.
India Women's Blind Cricket Team Squad:
B1 Category: Killaka Sandhya (Andhra Pradesh), U. Varsha (Karnataka), Padmini Tudu (Odisha), Simu Das (Rajasthan), Priya (Madhya Pradesh),Valasanaini Ravanni (Andhra Pradesh)
B2 Category: Gangavva Neelappa Harijan (Vice Captain, Karnataka), Sandra Davis (Kerala), Basanti Hansda (Odisha), Pritiben Desai (Gujarat), Prity Prasad (Delhi)
B3 Category: Sushma Patel (Captain, Madhya Pradesh), Phula Saren(Odisha), Ganga Kadam (Maharashtra), Deepika TC (Karnataka), Jhili Birua (Odisha), M. Satyavathi (Andhra Pradesh)
