It is said that a Differently abled person is actually a Specially abled person.
Such people are a special gift with a different set of abilities and if provided with a platform, can do wonders. We saw it during the Paralympics this year when our athletes made the Indian flag held high and this is what the Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI) has been doing. They have given a platform for such people with a passion for cricket to come forward and showcase their talent.
Just last month they organized a talent search camp in Jammu and Kashmir which saw the participation of 50 physically challenged cricketers and in the latest from the board, they are training 22 such women from different states – Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, and Orissa in Vadodara to help them become professional cricket umpires and scorers.
Being trained by Level 1 Coaches and Umpires from the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), these women will undergo six-day training in both theory and practical, at the end of which they will have to clear an exam with at least 80 percent to get the certificate.
In a report on its website, TOI shared their interaction with the chief coach and director (cricket operations), Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI), Nitendra Singh, who told them, “Once they pass the course, these women will be able to stand in as professional umpires and scorers in the cricket tournaments. We will ensure that they get to serve in the differently-abled cricket tournaments at state, national and international level.”
Further adding, “But my aim is to get the differently-abled umpires in mainstream cricket tournaments. This will not just give full-time employment to these women but also make cricket a more inclusive sport. I am in talks with some state cricket associations to give such umpires a chance. To start with, they can umpire or keep score in local tournaments. When these women start umpiring and scoring, they will get at least Rs 1,500 per day when the matches are played apart from train tickets for air-conditioned coaches. We will try to treat them at par with other umpires and scorers.”
Along with women, the camp will also train two dozen men in umpiring and scoring.
DCCBI is doing a great job bringing the special abilities of these talented players to the forefront. Wishing the players great success in the years to come.
Loves all things female cricket