VISAKHAPATNAM: From a remote village in the Eastern Ghats of Alluri Sitarama Raju district, 15-year-old Pangi Karuna Kumari has earned a place in the Indian squad for the first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind.
Karuna, a Class 10 student of the Government Residential School for Visually Challenged Girls in Visakhapatnam, has been chosen in the B1 category, meant for completely blind players.
The tournament will be held in New Delhi and Bengaluru from November 11 to 25. Host India will compete alongside six other nations, including Australia, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the United States. In total, 21 league matches, two semi-finals, and one final are scheduled.
The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), the cricketing arm of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, is organising the event. Karuna’s parents expressed joy at their daughter’s achievement.
Her father, Rambabu, said, “We as a family are very happy about her selection. It is a good thing that her talent has been recognised.” Her school principal Vijaya congratulated Karuna, and assured full support from the institution.
She is an active girl who participates in sports with great enthusiasm. Recently, she attended a 20-day training camp in Bengaluru, and we were informed that another session is scheduled for next month. We are prepared to extend all possible support to Karuna. She is also performing well in her academics,” she said.
Supreme Court advocates Chinna Sarath Babu and G Ravindra Babu have also promised assistance to enable her participation. Former India blind cricket captain and current coach Ajay Kumar Reddy described her selection as significant. “For the first time, a girl from AP is representing India in this World Cup. It is a historic achievement,” he said.
The tournament will categorise players as B1 (completely blind), B2 (partially blind with limited vision), and B3 (partially sighted with the highest residual vision). Karuna, being in the B1 category, relies solely on the sound of the ball to play. Karuna’s selection reflects the talent that continues to emerge from the remote tribal belts of the Eastern Ghats.