Cricket for blind women helps change attitudes

INDIA beat Nepal by seven wickets in Colombo yesterday to win the first Blind Women’s T20 World Cup.

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Sri Lanka and India are co-hosed the first T20 World Cup for visually impaired women.

India won the toss and elected to field and restricted Nepal to 114-5.

They replied with 117-3 in just 12 overs to become the unbeaten champions in an inaugural tournament that also included Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the US.

India manager Shika Shetty said that the sport has transformed lives and helped change attitudes.

“T think this (world cup) is one of the biggest opportunities for our visually impaired girls,’ said Shetty, who is not blind.

India captain T C Deepika recalled the disbelief she faced when she first picked up the bat.

“People were saying, ‘How do they do it? They must be lying,” she said ina video posted by the Cricket Association for the Blind in India.

“(Later) they realised I can do something. People began to see that I have ability,’ Deepika added.