VISAKHAPATNAM: India clinched the inaugural SBI Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind, defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the final played at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday. The win marked a dominant campaign for the Indian team, which remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. Electing to field after winning the toss, India restricted Nepal to 114 for 5 in 20 overs. The bowlers kept the scoring rate under control.
Chasing the target, the Indian side displayed confidence and composure, reaching 117 for 3 in 12.1 overs, and sealing the championship in convincing fashion.
The six-nation tournament featured India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and the United States. It began on November 11 with matches in New Delhi and Bengaluru, before moving to Colombo for the knockout stages. Blind cricket is played using a white plastic ball fitted with ball bearings to help players track movement through sound.
India’s campaign included wins over Sri Lanka (10 wickets), Australia (209 runs), Nepal (85 runs), the USA (10 wickets) and Pakistan (8 wickets), before defeating Australia again in the semifinal by nine wickets.
The win carried special significance for Andhra Pradesh, with 15-year-old Pangi Karuna Kumari making a notable contribution in the final.
ACA hails Karuna’s ace performance in Colombo
A completely blind cricketer from a remote village in the Eastern Ghats of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Karuna scored a crucial 42 runs, helping India complete the chase comfortably. Karuna is a Class 10 student at the Government Residential School for Visually Challenged Girls in Visakhapatnam, and represents the country in the B1 category, meant for players who are fully blind.
Expressing happiness over her achievement, her father Rambabu said, “We as a family are very happy about her win. It is a good thing that her talent has been recognised.”
“In just one month, another crown for our women. Our Blind Women’s Team has lifted their first-ever T20 World Cup, and remained unbeaten throughout. A huge shoutout to Andhra’s own Pangi Karuna Kumari for her standout performance. Thank you for showing the world what true power looks like,” said Sana Satish Babu, ACA Secretary.
India now stands as the first-ever Women’s T20 Blind World Cup champion, marking a milestone.