The first ever T20 Cricket World Cup for Blind Women was a pioneering initiative that championed inclusivity, empowerment, and sporting excellence. With six countries participating, this pioneering tournament provided a global platform for visually impaired women cricketers to showcase their talent, determination, and resilience. The teams playing were the well established teams from Nepal, India, Australia and Pakistan joined by sides playing international women’s blind cricket for the first time – Sri Lanka and the USA.
Games were played across three cities; New Delhi and Bengaluru in India with the final stages in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
This is just the second multi-team event for the blind women’s game after India and Australia were hosted by England at the 2023 IBSA World Blind Games. It is hoped that this event will help the women’s blind game to develop in parallel with the men’s game with regular world cup events in addition to countries playing bi-lateral series. In this event’s closing speeches the expressed hope was to have 10 teams at the next women’s blind world cup.
Final
India v Nepal
India won the toss and had great success in bowling with two totally blind bowlers Anu Kumari and Rani Tudu taking wickets of the Nepal top order. This meant Nepal could only post 114 with their top scorer being Sarita Ghimire, 35. Nepal also took two early wickets to dismiss the openers but a 51 run partnership for the third wicket between totally blind Karuna K who scored 42 changed the game. India finished on 117 for 3 from 12.1 overs with Phula Saren on 44.
Results
Semi final 1: India v Australia
Australia 109 for 9 in 20 overs, Chanakan Buakhao 34, totally blind Anu Kumari 1 for 21
India 113 for 1 in 12.5 overs, Basanti Hansda 45
India won by 9 wickets
Semi final 2: Pakistan v Nepal
Pakistan 169 for 6, Mehreen Ali 55, two stumpings for Binita Somai
Nepal 171 for 3, totally blind Susma Tamang, 36 and Binita Pun 46
Nepal won by 7 wickets
Group Stage
Match 1 India v Sri Lanka: India won by 10 wickets
Match 2 Sri Lanka v Nepal: Nepal won by 9 wickets
Match 3 India v Australia: India won by 209 runs
Match 3 USA v Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets
Match 5 India v Nepal: India won by 85 runs
Match 6 India v USA: India won by 10 wickets
Match 7 Pakistan v Sri Lanka: Pakistan won by 211 runs
Match 8 Australia v Nepal: Nepal won by 8 wickets
Match 9 USA v Nepal: Nepal won by 10 wickets, chasing their target in just four balls!
Match 10 India v Pakistan: India won by 8 wickets
Match 11 Australia v Sri Lanka: Australia won by 9 wickets
Match 12 Pakistan v Nepal: Nepal won by 10 wickets
Match 13 Australia v USA Match abandoned due to rain
Match 14 Pakistan v Australia: Pakistan won by 129 runs
Match 15 USA v Pakistan: Pakistan won by 9 wickets
