August 15, 2019
What Virat and his boys could not do, the India Divyang Cricket Team
has done. It beat England comprehensively to emerge winners at the first ever
Physical Disability World Cricket Series 2019. Will this finally make the
Board of Control for Cricket in India extend full support?
What a proud note to celebrate Independence Day on. The
newly formed India Divyang Cricket Team has made history
winning the first ever Physical Disability World Series
2019. It beat England in England to lift the trophy at the
New Road Stadium in Worcester.
It was a comprehensive win with India dominating right through the game.
England was beaten by 36 runs, not a small feat given that they were the
favourites.
The man who played the decisive knock for India was Ravindra
Sante. India opted to bat first but suffered a setback with opening
batsman Wasim Khan out for a duck. Skipper Vikrant
Keni stepped in and with Kunal Phanase posted 46
runs, putting India in a stable position.
Sante then went on to score a quick 53 runs off 34 balls and was
supported by Suganesh Mahendaran, who made 33 runs. Together
they cemented India’s position with 7 runs an over and India posted a total
of 180 runs.
England could not keep up with the Indian bowlers and was bundled out for 144
runs. Phanase and Sunny Goyat were the star bowlers who took
a couple of wickets each.
Vikrant Keni was ecstatic at the win and gave credit to his team. “This is a
super team and every players put in great effort and contributed to the win.
Every player is exceptional and I am proud to be a part of such a team”.
It’s been a brilliant all-round performance from the Indian team which played
some good cricket throughout the tournament winning every single match
leading up to the final. “We have been unbeaten right through and that feels
great”, said bowler Ramesh Subramanian Naidu. “England is a
good team but we outplayed them with batting and fielding”.
Ramesh credits coach Sulakshan Kulkarni for India’s
performance. “Sulakshan sir had a strategy for every team and every player
and he analysed every player before the match, checked statistics and ensured
that we had a game plan. That gave us an edge”.
The selection process was key for the win, believes team media manager
Pradeep Raj. There was some controversy over this in the run
up to the tournament with allegations of bias raised by some disabled cricket
groups.
The selection process we followed was sound and thorough and I hope this
win will silence those people who had alleged corruption. We wanted a team
that would give us an edge and with a team like this we expected to make a
clean sweep. Keni showed great captaincy right through and we are proud
that the disabled cricket team has won their first ever international
tournament. – Pradeep Raj, Media Manager, All India Cricket
Association for the Physically Challenged
Raj says that the win should now get the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) to extend full support to the India Divyang Cricket
Team. “We hope the BCCI will support us like they support blind cricket. This
time they have supported us partially but we want full support like they
extend to women cricketers and the U-19 sides. Now that we have proved
ourselves, we should get awards too”.
For the moment the players are celebrating. The stadium was filled with
disabled cricketers in the Indian jersey holding the Indian flag high and
singing the national anthem. “I feel so blessed to be a part of the India
team”, says Ramesh. “It felt so emotional to wear the Indian jersey and stand
for the anthem. We worked very hard for this and gave it our 100%”.
The boys in blue are expected to land in Mumbai on 17 August and
plans are being made to give them a grand reception.
