The second blind cricket Twenty20 World Cup is currently under way in India. The Indian team will be defending the title, having won the inaugural edition in 2012.

Ten teams are participating in the event, including Pakistan, England, Australia, West Indies and South Africa, among other. New Zealand are making their debut in this edition.

The tournament is being organised by the Cricket Association for Blind in India and was inaugurated in New Delhi, where the league stage is currently underway. The tournament will conclude in Bengaluru on February 12.

Blind Cricket follows standard cricket rules, but with some modifications to facilitate the visully-impaired players.

Key rules and regulations

  • Among the playing XI, four players are fully blind (B1 category), three players partially blind (B2 category) and four players partially sighted (B3 category). 
  • There are special exemptions given to B1 players. Every run they score is doubled before adding to the scoreboard. Players in this category can’t be stumped and can take a catch on one bounce. 
  • The ball that is used is filled with some ball bearings so that it can be heard by the fully blind batsmen and fielders. The bearings inside the ball help players hear and play shots and catch or field.  
  • Bowlers are only allowed to bowl underarm.
  • The bowler shouts “Ready?” before releasing the ball to which the batsman must respond by saying “Yes”. Then the bowler shouts “Play” before releasing the ball. The umpire declares a ball no ball if these rules are not followed. Even the timing of these calls by the bowler is important. Shouts made too early or too late are termed ineligible.
  • The stumps are higher and wider than normal ones. They are 35 inches high and 10 inches wide.

Some facts and figures

  • The sport was invented in 1992 in Melbourne by two blind factory workers. They used a tin can with rocks as the ball.   
  • Till now, four blind cricket World Cups have been held. South Africa won in 1998, Pakistan in 2002 and 2006 and India in 2014. 
  • In the United Kingdom the sport is played with a size three football with carbon balls inserted in it. However, a standard cricket bat is used. 
  • This year, Shekhar Naik became the first blind cricketer to be awarded the Padma Shri.