DDC inaugurates Cricket tournament for visually challenged

DDC Doda, Dr Sagar Dattaray Doifode interacting with players during the inaugural ceremony of Cricket tournament for visually challenged at Bhaderwah. -Excelsior/Tilak Raj
DDC Doda, Dr Sagar Dattaray Doifode interacting with players during the inaugural ceremony of Cricket tournament for visually challenged at Bhaderwah. -Excelsior/Tilak Raj

Excelsior Sports Correspondent
BHADERWAH, July 13: For the first time in Chenab region, Bhaderwah is hosting a State-level cricket tournament for visually-impaired players at University Campus and Degree College ground simultaneously, here.
The tournament is being organised by Cricket Association for the Blind in Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with Red Cross Society Doda and Bhaderwah Campus.
The two days tournament in which visually impaired players from all over the State, including those who have played at National and international levels was inaugurated by DDC Doda Dr Sagar Dattaray Doifode at Bhaderwah Campus Cricket ground today.
Dr Sagar Dattaray Doifode, chairman, IRCS Doda, appealed to people to come in large numbers to watch the matches and encourage the visually challenged.
“It is a matter of pride for us to host the visually challenged in this part of the State for the first time and I am feeling proud to be a part of them as it is an event of celebration and everyone should join the party,” DDC added.
The motive of two days tournament is to encourage such players to take part in sports events and boost their morals so that they can also make a career in sports.
“Public has given a good response to it and some NGOs and organisations have also supported us. However, from the Government, we have only been provided with hostels and nothing else. We are very happy and excited to play. In this blind cricket, the ball is a bit different and the rules are also different, depending on the category: B-1, B-2, B-3,” said Ajay Thakur, General Secretary Cricket Association for the Blind in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are very happy because there was no awareness and we want such tournaments to take place in all regions of our state also as they took place in other states,” said Irfan Ahmed a player from Pulwama.
The inaugural match was played between Team Blue and Team Yellow. After winning the toss, Team Blue elected to bat first and scored 100 runs in the stipulated 12 overs.
In reply, Team Yellow managed only 91 runs in 12 over for the loss of 6 wickets, thus Team Blue won the match by 9 runs. From Team Blue, Naresh was the top scorer with 43 runs, while from Team Yellow Azeem Mughal scored highest 29 runs.
Prominent among those who were present during the inaugural ceremony include DYSSO Doda Ashok Kotwal, Sameer Malik and Arif Khateeb.

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