Bhubaneswar: Four visually-impaired women cricket players from Odisha have found a place in the Indian team that will tour Nepal for a five-match bilateral series. The matches will be played at Pokhara and the Nepal capital of Kathmandu April 25 to 30. The visually-impaired players from Odisha who have found a place in the 17-member Indian squad are Jhilli Birua, Phula Saren, Padmini Tudu and Basanti Hansda.
The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) had initially selected 38 probables for the Nepal tour. Along with the four selected, Jamnarani Tudu from Mayurbhanj was among the probables. However, she lost out on making it to the final 17. The final selection was made based on the players’ performances in the recently-concluded selection trials held in Bhopal. This is the first time that visually-impaired cricketers will play a bilateral series for the Blind.
Odisha Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the girls from the state and also wished the team all the best for the upcoming T20 matches in Nepal. “Congratulate girls from #Odisha, Jhilli Birua, Phula Saren, Padmini Tudu & Basanti Hansda for making it to the India’s maiden 17-member Women’s Cricket Team for Blind for the upcoming T20 Bilateral Series to be played in Nepal. Best wishes to the team. #OdishaForSports,” Patnaik tweeted.
The entire squad will undergo training at a camp to be held April 17 to April 22 at Sarda Sportscube Foundation in Gurgaon. The team will depart from Delhi, April 23. Sushma Patel from Madhya Pradesh has been named captain of the team by CABI and Gangavva Neelappa Harijan from Karnataka will be her deputy.
President of CABI Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar too shared his excitement and said this has been an eagerly anticipated moment. “It is time to showcase to the world that India is proud to have their first-ever women’s cricket team for the blind. I am confident that this is just the beginning, and these women will make us even prouder and inspire many more visually impaired women to play cricket with passion,” he said.
