COLOMBO: India beat Nepal by seven wickets in Colombo on Sunday to win the first Blind Women’s T20 World Cup.
India won the toss and elected to field and restricted Nepal to 114-5.
They replied with 117-3 in just 12 overs to become the unbeaten champions in an inaugural tournament that also included Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the United States.
India’s Phula Saren top-scored with 44 off 27 deliveries. Nepal’s top scorer was Sarita Ghimire with 35 off 38 balls.
Sri Lanka and India co-hosted the tournament with the final at Sri Lanka’s oldest Test venue, the P Saravanamuttu Stadium.
Blind cricket is played with a white plastic ball packed with ball bearings that rattle as it rolls, which allows it to be heard by players.
The bowler must ask the striker if he or she is ready and then yell “play” as the ball is delivered underarm with at least one bounce.
Each side has 11 players, like regular cricket, but at least four must be totally blind. Players are required to wear blindfolds for fairness.
Fielders clap once to reveal their positions.
Other players can be partially sighted, classified by how far they can see — two metres for B2 players, six for B3.
Each team can have up to eight B1, or totally blind, players. Any run scored by a B1 player is counted as two.
