Ranchi, March 19: The three-day 7th National Cricket Tournament for the disabled will start here tomorrow.
In all, 16 teams from various states and zones are taking part in the tourney, A W Siddiqui, secretary general of the Indian Cricket Federation for Disabled, said in a release here today.
He said the matches would be played at Mecon, J L Nehru Stadium, and Steel Authority of India Limited grounds.
The players having 40 per cent to 90 per cent physical disabilities, even amputees of upper and lower limbs would take part in this tournament.
During the matches, the federation would introduce soft leather ball for the first time and the Twenty20 tournament would be played on knock-out basis.
ICFD has announced cash prizes of Rs 50,000 to the winner and Rs 30,000 to the runners-up while Rs 4,000 each would be given to best bowler, batsman, fielder and all-rounder.
For the first time in history of cricket for disabled, the differently ‘abled’ players from different tribes of Jharkhand are being given opportunity to take part in the event as a separate team.
“The main aim of the federation is to enhance physical mobility of such persons through cricket and integrate them into the mainstream of the society. The federation has also started Premier leagues & zonal cricket tournaments for disabled all over the country,” he said.
The event is being hosted by Jharkhand Disabled Sports and Welfare Academy, the state affiliate body of ICFD.
The visiting teams are provided free lodging, boarding and other facilities, he said.
Congress MP Subodh Kant Sahay would inaugurate the tournament at 9.30 AM at Mecon Stadium.
The participating teams are: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, UP, MP, Maharashtra, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Mobility India, Jharkhand and Girijan Jharkhand (team of tribal disabled players from Jharkhand). (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel