In mid-2020, the news of India’s first-ever women’s cricket team for the blind soon coming into existence broke out, and fast-forward to 2023, The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) in a historic move, on the 11th of April 2023, has announced the selection of India’s first-ever women’s team for the blind, which will tour Nepal for a bilateral series from the 25th to the 30th of April.
The historic first batch of 17 cricketers was listed on the back of a selection trail that recently concluded in Bhopal, and as many as 38 players were initially shortlisted for the selection trials based on their performances in the previous national tournaments.
CABI’s squad of 17 sees Madhya Pradesh’s Ms. Sushma Patel as the captain and Karnataka’s Ms. Gangavva Neelappa Harijan as the vice-captain of the side for the upcoming women’s T20 bilateral cricket tour of Nepal.
Congratulations to India’s First Ever Blind Women Cricket Team 🎉#CricketTwitter 📸 @blind_cricket pic.twitter.com/HNu33lrk5J
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 11, 2023
India’s squad for the tour of Nepal:
B1 category – Sushma Patel (C), K Sandhya, Varsha U, Padmini Tudu, Simu Das, Priya, V Ravanni
B2 category – Gangavva (VC), Sandra Davis, Basanti Hansda, Pritiben, Prity Prasad
B3 category – Phula Saren, Ganga Kadam, Deepika TC, Jhili Birua, M Satyavathi
President of CABI, Dr. Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, President of CABI, on the historic announcement, had the following to say, “This is something that we have been eagerly anticipating for a long time. It is time to showcase to the world that India is proud to have its first-ever women’s cricket team for the blind.
“I am confident that this is just the beginning, and these women will make us even prouder and inspire many more visually impaired women to play cricket with passion.”
The 17-player squad is understood to first team up at the national cricket coaching camp at Sarda Sportscube Foundation in Gurugram from the 17th to the 22nd of April. On the 23rd of April, the team along with officials will depart from Delhi to Nepal to compete in 5 T20 matches that are scheduled to be held in Pokhara and Kathmandu and have India’s senior women’s team skipper, roped in as brand ambassador.
For the inaugural National tournament, India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was roped in as the brand ambassador, and Odisha claimed the title. The second women’s Nationals had Rajeshwari Gayakwad roped in as the brand ambassador and the edition saw as many as 14 teams take part, and Karnataka emerged as winners, and the 3rd Nationals saw Karnataka claim their 2nd denying Odisha their 2nd.