Prakasha lights up opening act

Channapatna lad slams brilliant 76-ball 172

 People in Channapatna swear by their wooden toys, and now they have fame coming their way from an unassuming source and from a totally unrelated field.

Prakasha Jayaramaiah is an athletic but simple looking 32-year-old call-centre employee at the Samarthanam Trust where he is paid Rs 4000 a month. He is married and is father to two children -- a four-year-old boy and an eighteen-month old girl. In short, he is just another visually impaired person, living an ordinary life.

But little do people know that many in the world of blind cricket consider Prakasha as their version of Virender Sehwag. Prakash’s pyrotechnics with the bat earn him that status, and Australia were first-hand witness to the carnage the little man can inflict.

Prakasha’s 172-run knock, that was studded with 33 boundaries and two sixes from 76 balls, propelled India to 341/2 in 20 overs against Australia in the opening match of the T20 World Cup for the Blind at the Central College Grounds on Sunday.

Prakasha was not only a spectacle with the bat, his immaculate judgment of an on-coming ball in the out-field resulted in him preventing a lot of boundaries and also a run out to bring about Australia’s downfall as they finished at 126 for eight in 20 overs.

Prakasha’s century -- his first in a World Cup -- won him the match of the match award, but he was in no mood to settle down with what has been achieved so far. Especially after what he has had to overcome until now.

Prakasha was eight months old when he lost his vision. He was playing with his cousin -- a toddler -- when she accidentally poked his eyes, rendering them useless.

He struggled through school and endeared many a hardship before going under the knife when he was eight. He regained some of his vision but was never able to fully recover. Instead of wallowing in self pity and trudging along hopelessly, Prakasha worked his way through school.

“I always enjoyed playing cricket. I would play with the children in my neighbourhood,” said Prakasha, who can see upto six metres, placing him in the B3 category. “In 1999, I was playing for Ramanagara against Bangalore and I scored 168 runs in 38 balls and was selected to play for Karnataka.”

After being named in the Karnataka team, Prakasha continued to put together big scores and stole the show with his live-wire displays on the field, which also involves a cartwheel at the end of almost every dismissal.

“After I did well for Karnataka, I was selected to play for India in 2008 and I went to England. We won 5-0 and I did very well,” said Prakasha, who has 33 centuries to his name in the 40-over format.

His best ever performance is, however, something that earned him an unanimous spot in the team for the T20 World Cup.

“In the South Zone Nationals last year, I scored 386 runs against West Zone (in the 40-over format) and that is my best performance with the bat. I know I cannot come up with such a performance in the T20s but I can surely try and better what I have done so far,” he remarked.

Talking about the support he has received so far, Prakasha, in a low tone, said: “My mother and wife have supported me a lot. They are at a relative’s wedding today but they will be coming to watch me play tomorrow.

We do not get match fees but Samarthanam takes care of us. It is hard sometimes but we have been promised a lot if we win this World Cup. (Chief Minister) Jagadish Shettar has promised me a job if we win the World Cup. With the kind of start we have had, we are not going home without the cup.”

As Prakasha’s voice trailed off, the crowd’s voice grew louder — all for one humble man from Channapatna.