Cricket inspires millions of fans in India and it’s not just about Sachin Tendulkar, or Virat Kohli, or Mithali Raj. The sport thrives because of the love the fans have for the sport.
And few would love the sport more than the players representing India at the blind cricket world cup.
Imagine being so passionate about a sport that is all about hand-eye coordination and wanting to play it so bad, with 50% of the said coordination being hampered – that is the kind of passion that fuels the game in India.
Invented in 1922 in Melbourne by two blind factory workers, it started with a tin can with rocks as the ball. Anything that could strike the can became a bat. The Victorian Blind Cricket Association was founded shortly after and the first sports ground and clubhouse for blind cricket was built at Melbourne in 1928. But it was only in the twilight of the 20th century that it actually became a recognised and regular tournament.
The fifth blind cricket world cup is currently underway and India are the defending champions. In fact, India are the champions in the T20 format as well.
So how is it different from regular cricket?
Here’s all you need to know about blind cricket and how it’s played.