CABI announces names of 38 cricketers for selection trials for India’s first Women’s Blind Cricket Team

Press Release, Mar 7, 2023, 7:49 PM IST

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) has announced the selection of 38 women cricketers for the upcoming selection trials to form the Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team for the Bilateral Series against Nepal. The players were selected based on their performances in the two previous women’s national tournaments held in 2022 and 2023.

The Bilateral tour is scheduled to be held in Nepal from April 25th to 30th, and a five-day selection trial will take place at Faith Cricket Club in Bhopal from March 26th. During the trials, the probables will be trimmed down to 17 players who will represent the country in the historic series.

This is a significant milestone in the development of women’s blind cricket, as it represents an effort to initiate and involve women in inclusive sports and empower them to pursue careers in the sport. CABI President Dr Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar has said that there are plans to introduce more bilateral tours for women’s blind cricket to inspire more girls and build an inclusive society.

CABI has been working with the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to initiate cricket for visually impaired women. This effort began in 2019 when the T-20 National Trophy for the Visually Impaired Women was introduced, featuring 150 visually impaired women from 7 different states. Smrithi Mandhana, Vice-captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, became the brand ambassador for the initiative, and legendary West Indian cricketer Brian Lara showed his solidarity by being a part of the press conference at the launch of the tournament.

The second Women’s Nationals had 14 state teams participating in the tournament, with Rajeshwari Gayakwad, an Indian Cricketer, serving as brand ambassador. Karnataka emerged as the winners of the tournament held in Bengaluru. The third Women’s Nationals was held in Bengaluru and had 16 teams participating, with Odisha winning the tournament for the second time by beating Karnataka in the finals. Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur is the brand ambassador for the Women’s Blind Cricket for this year.

Ms. Harmanpreet Kaur has expressed her pride in being associated with CABI and the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in promoting cricket for visually impaired women. She has congratulated the shortlisted 38 blind women cricketers of India and expressed her confidence that they will continue to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Through their hard work and determination, they have proven that cricket is a sport that knows no boundaries, and their achievements are a testament to the power of sports to bring people together and break barriers.

E John David, General Secretary of CABI, is confident that the team will win the series in their maiden International Bilateral Series. This is a significant step towards promoting gender equality in sports and empowering women to pursue careers in cricket, regardless of their physical abilities.

Shortlisted players: