Bengaluru, January 7th, 2023: Indian Women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur is the Brand Ambassador for Women’s Blind Cricket. The IndusInd Bank Women’s National T20 Cricket tournament will be organised by the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in association with the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) from 9th to the 13th of January 2023. The tournament will be played in a league–knockout format with 16 state teams participating. The probables for the first Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team will be selected from this tournament which will participate in the World Blind Games, Birmingham 2023.
“Cricket has no boundaries and I am overwhelmed to be associated with Cricket Association for the Blind in India and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in promoting cricket for visually impaired women. Cricket is a beautiful game that will help us to build an inclusive society and I feel all of us have to step up to promote cricket for the Blind. I congratulate all the participating teams who are taking part in the Women’s National which will be held in Bengaluru and May the best team win. I am waiting to see the first Indian Blind Women Cricket Team which will represent India in the World Blind Games at Birmingham. Let us all cheer and support their efforts” said Ms Harmanpreet Kaur Brand Ambassador for Indian Women’s Blind Cricket.
24 league matches will be played across four venues in Bengaluru, Altidore Sports Green Park, Sachin Tendulkar Turf Ground, Ramasagara, Cricbiz Cricket Academy, Chandrapur and Cricbiz Cricket Academy, Bannerghatta Road. The semi-finals and finals will be played at Altidore Sports Green Park on the 12th and 13th of January respectively. The finals will be followed by a grand valedictory function.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Mahantesh G.K, President, CABI said, “This is a very important tournament for us as the very first Indian Women’s Cricket Team for ten Blind will be selected according to performances from these matches. We are trying our best to provide the needed upliftment for the Women’s game also so that they can participate and represent the country proudly globally.”
The inauguration of the tournament will be held at Vividus Hotel, Kumara Krupa Road, Madhava Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Bengaluru – 560001 on 8th January at 6:30 PM. The Chief Guest for the Event will be Dr Shalini Rajneesh IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Empowerment & Sports GoK, Shri H G Prabhakar K.G.S. Private Secretary to Minister of Sericulture, Youth Empowerment & Sports, GoK, and Dr Mahantesh G K Founder Managing Trustee Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, President – Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI)
Karnataka is the defending champion of the format while Odisha is the runners up.