Indian men’s blind cricket team visits British Parliament ahead of IBSA World Games

London [UK], August 18 (ANI): The Indian men’s blind cricket team and the officials of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) paid a special visit to the British Parliament ahead of their start of the campaign in the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games 2023 in Birmingham.

Blind cricket has been included in the World Games for the first time and Team India is gearing up for the tournament. The men’s blind cricket team reached London on Monday, as per a press release from CABI. 

CABI officials and the men’s blind cricket team were accompanied by Omaar Singh and Rohan from the Lord Karan Bilimoria (University of Birmingham Chancellor) office as the players relived the history, literature and politics that one would have read during their school or college days on British Government.

“It was an important day to the players to recall and relive the History, Literature and Politics that each of us read during our school/college days on British Government. The esteemed team from Lord Karan Bilimoria accompanied the Indian Team through the 1000 years of history,” an official statement from Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) read.

“Omaar Singh and Rohan from the Lord Karan Bilimoria office made sure that the players were provided with the information to the various questions raised by the players. Team India thanks the effort put in by the office in arranging this special visit to the British Parliament,” it added.

The Indian women’s Blind Cricket Team arrived for the IBSA World Games 2023, in Birmingham on Thursday.

The Indian women’s team will take on Australia to begin their campaign on August 20 while the men’s team will take on Pakistan on the same day.

The 2023 IBSA World Games, organized by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), would witness over 1250 players and officials from 70 countries participating. The games will start from August 18 and go on till August 27.

Powerlifting, judo, goalball, football, chess, tenpin bowling, shooting, showdown, archery, tennis and blind cricket will feature in the tournament. Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) last week announced the captains for the Indian Blind Cricket teams (both men and women) that will represent the country in the World Games 2023. 

India Men’s Cricket team squad for IBSA World Games 2023:

Basappa Waddagol – B1, Mohammed Jafar Iqbal – B1, Maharaja Sivasubramanian – B1, Omprakash Pal – B1, Nareshbhai Balubhai Tumda – B1, Nilesh Yadav – B1, Ajay Kumar Reddy Illuri – B2 (Captain), Venkateswara Rao Dunna – B2 (Vice-captain), Pankaj Bhue – B2, Rambir Singh – B2, Nakula Badanayak – B2, Irfan Diwan – B2, Prakasha Jayaramaiah – B3, Sunil Ramesh – B3, Deepak Malik – B3, Durga Rao Tompaki – B3, Dineshbhai Chamaydabhai Rathva – B3.