India will host the first Blind Women's T20 World Cup in 2025
04-Dec-2024
135
Sport News : Pakistan will play its share of matches in the first Blind Women's T20 World Cup to be held in Nepal or Sri Lanka next year after a hybrid model for the event was finalised at the World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) Annual General Meeting in Multan. The development comes weeks after India pulled out of the men's T20 Blind Cricket World Cup to be held in Pakistan due to security concerns. The hosting rights for the women's event were awarded to India last year and were confirmed at the AGM on Monday which saw 11 member nations present. India, England and New Zealand joined the meeting virtually.
"The hosting rights of the tournament were given to India last year (2023). At that time it was also decided that if there are any visa-related issues in the Pakistan team coming to India, then the tournament will be held in a hybrid model. Pakistan will play all its matches at a neutral venue," Cricket Association of the Blind in India (CABI) president GK Mahantesh told PTI. Asked where Pakistan's matches will be held, Mahantesh said they have zeroed in on two countries. "Pakistan's visually impaired women's team will be in Nepal or Sri Lanka throughout the tournament," he said.
"The Indian team will travel to Nepal or Sri Lanka to play against them. The entire cost of the event will be borne by our cricket board. We will bear the cost of the entire stay of the Pakistan team in either of these two countries." CABI is neither affiliated to the BCCI nor the ICC. Several other important decisions were also taken at the AGM, including the appointment of India's Rajneesh Henry and Chandrasekhar KN as general secretary and finance director respectively for a period of two years. Henry, who previously served as vice-president of the WBCC, is also the president of the Cricket Association for the Blind in Kerala.
While Chandrasekhar, a founding member of CABI, has previously served as its treasurer. It was confirmed that the next men's T20 World Cup will be held in 2027, with the date and venue to be decided during the AGM in 2025. The members also decided that all international tournaments for cricket for the blind will now follow the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) vision classification rules, ensuring uniformity and inclusiveness in the sport. It was also decided that CABI will lead efforts to promote cricket for the blind in the USA and UAE, facilitating the formation of men's and women's teams in these regions.(Agency)