Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to extend their support to the Indian blind cricket team as the side gears up for the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games 2023 in Birmingham. Blind cricket has been included in the World Games for the first time and India, Pakistan, Australia, England and Bangladesh will face each other in the 20-over format. The Pakistan blind cricket team is recognised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), however, the Indian blind cricket team is not officially recognised by the BCCI.
As India and Pakistan gear up to face each other on Sunday in the IBSA World Games 2023 in Birmingham, Kaneria congratulated both teams and also made a humble request to BCCI.
"Congratulations to our incredible blind cricket teams from India and Pakistan who will showcase their exceptional talent at IBSA World Games.
"Seeing the growth of our team under PCB's guidance, I urge @BCCI to consider extending their support to Indian blind cricket team as well," Kaneria tweeted.
India men's blind cricket team will face Pakistan in their opening match on August 20 (Sunday) before they meet Australia on Monday.
When the Australian squad was announced in March 2023 for the IBSA World Games 2023 in Birmingham, Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer had also congratulated the team.
"Congratulations to the players selected to travel across to Birmingham to represent Australia at this year’s IBSA Games. We witnessed an extraordinary level of talent with the bat and ball at the recent National Cricket Inclusion Championships and it’s exciting that there is a clear pathway for cricketers with a disability to don green and gold and represent Australia on the global stage," Hockley had said in a statement as per Cricket Australia.
Coming back to Team India, led by Ajay Kumar Reddy Illuri (B2 Category), the India men's side will be looking to open their campaign with a thumping win over Pakistan. The men's team has shown dominant prowess against Pakistan on grand stages in the last decade.
In the 2012 T20 World Cup, India defeated Pakistan in the finals to lift the coveted trophy while in the 2017 T20 World Cup, India once again exhibited their supremacy as they thrashed Pakistan by 9 wickets to win the tournament.
In the last two ODI World Cups (in 2014 and 2018), India have defeated Pakistan in the finals to lift the title. As India again gears up to face Pakistan in a high voltage clash in the IBSA World Games 2023 in Birmingham, all eyes will be on the Men in Blue.
India men’s cricket team squad for IBSA World Games 2023:
Basappa Waddagol - B1, Mohammed Jafar Iqbal - B1, Maharaja Sivasubramanian - B1, Omprakash Pal - B1, Nareshbhai Balubhai Tumda - B1, Nilesh Yadav - B1, Ajay Kumar Reddy Illuri - B2 (Captain), Venkateswara Rao Dunna - B2 (Vice-captain), Pankaj Bhue - B2, Rambir Singh - B2, Nakula Badanayak - B2, Irfan Diwan - B2, Prakasha Jayaramaiah - B3, Sunil Ramesh - B3, Deepak Malik - B3, Durga Rao Tompaki - B3, Dineshbhai Chamaydabhai Rathva - B3