India clinches inaugural blind women’s T20 World Cup

India scripted history on Sunday by winning the inaugural T20 Blind Women’s World Cup, defeating Nepal by seven wickets in a commanding final at the P Sara Oval. This first-ever edition of the tournament marked a major milestone for women’s blind cricket globally.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl, India restricted Nepal to 114 for 5. The Indian batters then chased down the target comfortably, scoring 117 for 3 in just 12 overs. Phula Saren top-scored for India with an unbeaten 44, guiding her team to the historic title. Nepal’s innings was dominated by India, managing only a single boundary throughout.

India had earlier beaten Australia in the first semifinal, while Nepal had advanced by defeating Pakistan in the second semifinal on Saturday. Co-hosts Sri Lanka managed only one win, against the USA, in the preliminary rounds of the six-team tournament.

Pakistan’s Mehreen Ali, a B3 (partially sighted) player, was the standout performer of the tournament, amassing over 600 runs, including a sensational 230 off 78 balls against Sri Lanka and 133 against Australia, underlining her exceptional talent in the sport.

How blind cricket works: Players are classified based on vision, B1 (totally blind), B2 (partially blind), and B3 (partially sighted). Totally blind players rely on a ball that makes a noise, bowling along the ground, and guidance from teammates to bat and field. Teams must include players from all categories, making the game competitive yet fair.

The inaugural edition of the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup not only showcased emerging talent but also highlighted the growing recognition and support for women’s blind cricket worldwide.