India lifted the first-ever Blind Women's T20 Cricket World Cup on Sunday, defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the final at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo. The victory concluded an unbeaten campaign for the Indian side, which won all its league matches and the semi-final before triumphing in the summit clash.
Opting to field first, India restricted Nepal to 114 for 5 in 20 overs, with Nepal managing only a single boundary throughout their innings. India chased down the target comfortably, reaching 117 for 3 in just 12.1 overs to secure the historic title.
Phula Saren was the star of the final, scoring a decisive 44 off 27 balls to guide the chase. Her knock, which included four boundaries, ensured India stayed well ahead of the required rate. Earlier in the tournament, India defeated Sri Lanka, Australia, Nepal, the United States, and Pakistan in the round-robin stage, before registering a nine-wicket win over Australia in the semi-finals.
The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, featured teams comprising players from B1 (fully blind), B2, and B3 categories, using an audible ball filled with metal bearings.
The triumph has drawn praise from across the cricketing world and political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on X, stating, "This is indeed a historic sporting achievement, a shining example of hard work, team work and determination."
Federal Minister Amit Shah and cricket legends like Mithali Raj and Yuvraj Singh also lauded the team's performance. The victory comes weeks after India won the first Women's One-Day International World Cup for the blind, further highlighting the growing prowess of the country's differently-abled athletes.
The Indian squad's journey to the title is marked by stories of resilience. Many players, hailing from rural backgrounds in states like Karnataka, Odisha, and Jharkhand, overcame societal and logistical hurdles to pursue the sport.
Captain Deepika TC, who lost her sight as an infant, described the win as "the biggest moment of my and my team's life." Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, chairman of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), expressed hope that the visibility from the tournament would encourage more families to support visually impaired girls in sports.
This inaugural World Cup has provided a platform for blind women's cricket, which began structured development in India only in 2019. With matches broadcast live on digital platforms and national television, the event has raised awareness about the sport.
"As more countries field women's teams, the standard and global footprint for women's blind cricket will rise quickly," Mahantesh added, noting the positive impact of such exposure on the future of the game.