Bangalore to host first ever T20 World Cup for blind

The first ever Twenty20 World Cup for the blind will witness nine countries battling it out for the trophy here from December 2 to 13, it was announced today.

Besides hosts India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Nepal will participate in the tournament, which is a joint effort by Bangalore-based NGO, Samarthanam and Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI).

As many as six partially impaired players and five totally blind players from each country would play the games, the CABI General Secretary, G K Mahantesh told reporters here.
Seventeen players would represent India, who were selected from across the country on the basis of their performance in the selection trials held at Dharwad (Karnataka) and Kochi (Kerala).

"Players state and international performances in the past was also taken into consideration for their selection," said Mahantesh.

The rules are unlike the usual T20 cricket tournament where the ball will have the jingling bells in it for the visually impaired to take the game forward relying on their sharp hearing senses ability, World Blind Cricket Council (WBBC) General Secretary, Bhavani Prasad said.

Interestingly, Nepal, for the first time in the history of blind cricket, would field two women players in World Cup matches.

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga will be present at the inaugural ceremony of the World Cup to be held at Kanteerava Stadium on December 1, Prasad said.

Tata Tea is the prime sponsor of the Indian team and State Bank of India is the title and principal sponsor of the tournament, Mahantesh said.

SBI Chief General Manager, Ashwini Mehra unveiled the Indian team jersey.

The Indian squad: Shekar Naik (capt), Ajaykumar Reddy (vice-capt), Ganeshbhai Bhusara, Hanuman Pooniya, K Ramesh, A Maneesh, Prakasha Jayaramaiah, Dunna Venkatesh, Hiteshbhai Patel, Dilip Munde, Pankaj Bhue, Vikas Patel, Ketanbhai Patel, Sanjeev Kumar Dalal, S Ravi, Mohammad Jaffar Iqbal, Subhash Bhoya.

Coach: Patrick Rajkumar; Manager: David.