JOIN USIn a bid to give the second T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind a boost, the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) has named Rahul Dravid as their brand ambassador and the legendary cricketer hailed their efforts on Wednesday.
“It is indeed a huge honour and a special day for me to be here at this event as the brand ambassador of the Blind (T20) World Cup,” said Dravid at the launch event here at the KSCA on Wednesday.
“When the members of the Samarthanam Trust (whose cricketing arm is the CABI) came to meet me a couple of months back, I had heard a bit about blind cricket and seen the odd game on television. I was really surprised by the amount of effort and time that Samarthanam Trust and CABI have done into developing cricket for blind.
“They have done a great job over the last five or six years through regional teams, domestic competitions, national competitions and organising the second World Cup. The success that India has had over the last three-four years is really creditable. That gave me the feeling that I would want to be a part of this event and make this event successful in any way I could.”
Dravid said watching them go through their everyday chores inspires him. “The challenges they face because of their handicap, for them to go and play with the enthusiasm they have is a great lesson for people. To see them overcome challenges is a great inspiration for everyone.
“I have tried to play cricket blindfold with this ball when we were in Delhi this year during the IPL and believe me it is really, really difficult. First of all, to conquer that fear, an object coming towards you, I think, is very difficult thing to do. I honestly could not do it and had to back away after a while. The ball comes at you quite fast. It’s not an easy game to play. They deserve all the encouragement and support they can get. It is really up to all of us including the media to make this event a big success.”
The tournament, featuring 10 countries, will be played at multiple centres across the country from January 28 to February 12, 2017. The organisers are hoping to play the final at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here.
Also, in a bid to generate revenue, the organisers will be selling the ball used in blind cricket for Rs 200. It can be purchased from their website: www.blindcricket.in.
DH News Service