India Clinches First-ever Blind Women's T20 World Cup
By: Mahadev Desai
India's Blind Women's team has been outstanding in the inaugural T20 World Cup 2025, winning all their group matches and the final against Nepal, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on November 23. The tournament, organized and mentored by the Cricket Association for the Blind (CABI) ran from 11-23 November 2025, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with six teams: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Australia, and USA; competing across venues in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Colombo.
India emerged as the dominant force of the tournament, showcasing skill, resilience, and unity. Their captain, Deepika TC, (Karnataka) has been a standout performer, inspiring teammates and fans alike.
India's squad of 16 players was picked from Karnataka; Maha Rashtra; Rajasthan; Madhya Pradesh; Andhra Pradesh; Odisha; Delhi; Assam; and Bihar.
India's Road to the World Cup Win
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Date
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Opponent
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Result
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Highlights
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11 Nov
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Sri Lanka
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India won by 10 wickets
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Sri Lanka bowled out for 41; India chased easily
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12 Nov
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Australia
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India won by 209 runs
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Australia 93/8; India 292/4. Deepika TC scored 91.
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14 Nov
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Nepal
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India won by 85 runs
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Strong batting and disciplined bowling sealed victory. India 209/3. Nepal 124/5
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15 Nov
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USA
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India won by 10 wickets
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USA restricted to 60/8; India chased without losing a wicket
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16 Nov
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Pakistan
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India won by 8 wickets
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India chased comfortably. Pakistan 135/8. India 136/2
Anekha Devi 64 Not Out and Deepika TC 45
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22 Nov (Semi-final)
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Australia
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India won by 9 wickets
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Australia 109/9. India 112/1. Basanti Hansda (45) and Ganga Kadam (41*) led India to the final
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23 Nov (Final)
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Nepal
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India won by seven wickets
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Nepal 114. India 117/3. Phula Saren and Karuna scored 44 and 42 respectively. Phula Saren was bestowed with Player of the Match Award.
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The Tournament has great Significance:
Historic debut: This is the first Blind Women's T20 World Cup, a landmark for disability cricket worldwide.
Inclusivity: Players are grouped by sight categories (B1, B2, B3), ensuring fair participation.
Social impact: Many Indian players hail from rural backgrounds, overcoming barriers of language, stigma, and limited resources.
The historic win has not only displayed skill but also grit, team spirit and a strong will to succeed. It will inspire countless young girls to play cricket.
Joyously celebrating the win, Deepika TC proudly said, "Back home people used to say, you're blind, what can you do? Today we've shown them exactly what we can do.
Prime Min. Modi ji lauded India's victory, "Congratulations to the Indian Blind Women's Cricket Team for creating history by winning the inaugural Blind Women's T20 World Cup! More commendable is the fact that they stayed unbeaten in the series. This is indeed a historic sporting achievement, a shining example of hard work, team work and determination. Each player is a champion! My best wishes to the team for their future endeavors. This feat will inspire generations to come."
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Nov-24-2025