The BCCI President and Secretary have endorsed a significant support system for the men’s and women’s teams under the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI). This move is seen as a pivotal step towards fostering inclusive growth in Indian cricket. The BCCI has officially unveiled a structured framework to provide institutional support to both the men’s and women’s national blind cricket teams.
India’s visually impaired cricketers have achieved remarkable success on the global stage, including winning multiple Men’s World Cup titles and the inaugural Women’s World Cup in Sri Lanka last year. The BCCI President emphasized the need for sustained support given the outstanding accomplishments of these cricketers. He highlighted that the BCCI aims to enhance opportunities, infrastructure, and exposure for the blind cricket teams through this support system.
The BCCI’s support will include funding international travel for two overseas tournaments annually for both teams, offering accommodation for home and visiting sides during bilateral series in India, and granting access to its affiliated stadia for domestic and international matches. This initiative aligns with the inclusive cricket philosophy advocated by ICC Chairman Jay Shah during his tenure as BCCI Secretary and continued at the global level.
The BCCI expressed its commitment to collaborating with CABI to advance these initiatives and expand opportunities for blind cricket in India. The BCCI Secretary emphasized the importance of providing facilities and assistance to visually impaired cricketers to compete confidently both domestically and internationally. Leveraging BCCI-supported infrastructure and match environments is expected to elevate the standards of blind cricket in India and enrich the players’ experiences.
