Narayan Seva Sansthan (NSS) | Blind Cricket and its challenges in India

Blind Cricket Championship

The Narayan Seva Sansthan (NSS) is organising the National Blind Cricket Championship 2019 from 30th November to 3rd December 2019 in association with CABI (Cricket Association for the Blind in India) and RCAB (Rajasthan Cricket Association of Blind) by inviting 6 Blind Cricket Teams from the various states of India.

Blind Cricket in India

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) organizes the blind cricket tournaments on state, zonal, national, and international levels. Apart from this, CABI also works for the awareness of the blind cricketers. Indian Blind Cricket Team is getting success and creating history in the field of cricket now. After the men’s Blind cricket success, CABI is all set for the Women’s National T20 Blind Cricket Tournament. Smriti Mandhana, vice-captain of the Indian Women’s T20 cricket team will be the Brand Ambassador for this tournament.

The Narayan Seva Sansthan (NSS) is proud that these superheroes are now getting the right place and recognition for their ability. Any type of disability can never stop a person from reaching their dreams. World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) was established in September 1996 in New Delhi to administer and promote the game of blind cricket on a global level.

India won the Blind Cricket World Cup in 2014 and 2018, and the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in 2012 and 2017. The NSS hopes that these victories come by more often. With the increasing support of the Government in setting up national level academies, the blind cricketers, both men and women, get more exposure according to their capabilities.

In support of Blind Cricketers, former captain of the Indian Cricket Team and former chairman of the selection committee, Kris Srikkanth said:

"Age-group cricket is the best way to groom the visually-impaired cricket. We can start with a U-16 or U-19 level tournaments in Chennai. All these players need a platform and I will be happy to offer my support on the same.”

Seeing the success of blind cricket and the potential in these cricketers, the NSS made its contribution by setting up an academy ‘Narayan Divyang Sports Academy’ in Udaipur, Rajasthan. It is spread a total area of 27 acres laced with all the facilities required in a sports academy.

Here, the NSS gives training to para-athletes in 14 different sports such as Archery, Football, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Shooting, Seating Volleyball, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis by providing them high-class training in each sport. The most important thing the NSS keeps in mind is that all facilities should be free of cost so that the players from all communities and regions of India can come forward and fulfill their dreams. The NSS aim to help them reach the Olympics.

About Blind Cricket

Blind cricket was first invented in Melbourne and was adopted by India in the year 1990. Players who participate in this type of cricket tournaments are blind, partially blind and partially sighted people. So far, 5 Blind World Cups have been held in New Delhi (1998), Chennai (2002), Islamabad, Pakistan (2006), and India (2018). First Blind World Cup T20 in India was held in 2012 at Bangalore.

Blind cricket requires adaptation to the ball and the wicket (stumps) which are larger than the normal cricket equipment. The ball is filled with the bearings to provide audible cues and its large size allows partially sighted players to see the ball. Also, the larger size of the wicket and metal tubes painted in fluorescent colors allow partially sighted players to see.