Birmingham: The Indian women's blind cricket team created history on Saturday, winning the gold medal at the IBSA World Games in Birmingham, England. The team defeated Australia by nine wickets in the final, after restricting them to 114/8 in the allotted 20 overs.
India's openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, put on a blistering 67-run partnership to set the tone for the chase. Mandhana scored 38 off 25 balls, while Verma hit 29 off 17. The Indian team reached the target in just 3.3 overs.
This is the first time that an Indian women's blind cricket team has won a gold medal at the IBSA World Games. The team's performance was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who tweeted his congratulations.
"Congratulations to the Indian women's blind cricket team for winning the gold medal at the IBSA World Games. Your win is a matter of great pride for the entire nation," Modi tweeted.
Kudos to the Indian women's blind cricket team for winning the Gold at the IBSA World Games! A monumental achievement that exemplifies the indomitable spirit and talent of our sportswomen. India beams with pride! https://t.co/4Ee7JfF3UH
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2023
The Indian team was led by cricketer Deepti Sharma, who was also named the player of the tournament. Sharma said that the team was "overwhelmed" by the support they had received from the Indian fans.
"We are very happy to have won the gold medal. We would like to thank all our fans for their support," Sharma said.
The Winning Moment for 🇮🇳 Blind Women's Team in the Final of World Games 2023 🔥 #CricketTwitter #IBSA @blind_cricket pic.twitter.com/tOt5uDoutA
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 26, 2023
The IBSA World Games is an international multi-sport event for athletes with visual impairments. The 2023 Games were held in Birmingham from August 17 to 26.
The Indian women's blind cricket team's gold medal is a major achievement for the sport in India. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players, and it will hopefully inspire other visually impaired women to take up the sport.
