History is in the making at Colombo’s P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, where the inaugural Blind Women’s T20 World Cup has reached its thrilling climax. On Saturday, November 22, 2025, India’s blind women’s cricket team powered their way into the final after a commanding nine-wicket victory over Australia. The win sets up a mouthwatering showdown against Nepal, who themselves cruised to a seven-wicket triumph over Pakistan in the day’s other semifinal. The grand finale is set for Sunday, promising to crown the first-ever world champions in women’s blind T20 cricket.
India’s journey to the final has been nothing short of remarkable. Their semifinal clash against Australia saw the team chase down a target of 110 with dazzling efficiency, reaching 112 for one in just 11.5 overs. Basanti Hansda led the charge with a fluent 45, while vice-captain Ganga Kadam remained unbeaten on 41 and K. Karuna finished not out on 16. Australia, who batted first, were restricted to 109 for nine in their 20 overs, with Chanakan Buakhao top-scoring for the Aussies with 34 runs. India’s Simranjeet Kour delivered a stellar bowling performance, taking 1 for 6 in her two overs, while Australia’s innings was marred by six runouts—a testament to India’s sharp fielding and relentless pressure.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s semifinal against Pakistan was a high-scoring affair that saw the Nepalese side chase down 169 with aplomb. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled with their lines, conceding a hefty 47 extras, which contributed significantly to Nepal’s highest-ever total in blind women’s cricket. Binita Pun blazed her way to 46 off just 23 balls before being ruled out hit wicket, and Susma Tamang anchored the chase with an unbeaten 36. Pakistan’s Shumaila Kiran stood out with the ball, claiming 1 for 10, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Nepal from storming into Sunday’s final.
The road to Colombo has been paved with determination and grit for India’s blind women cricketers. The tournament, which began on November 11, 2025, in Delhi, brought together six nations: India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the USA. After the opening rounds in Delhi and Bengaluru, the action shifted to Sri Lanka’s capital for the knockout stages. The Indian squad, captained by Deepika TC of Karnataka, represents a tapestry of stories from nine states—Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, Assam, and Bihar. Many of these athletes hail from rural backgrounds, overcoming language barriers, family skepticism, and a lack of resources to reach the international stage.
Team manager Shika Shetty underscored the significance of their journey: "Most of the players are from rural backgrounds. Language and culture were barriers, families and teachers were often unwilling to let them pursue the sport, and even introducing the rules of blind cricket took time. But now they are all competing with pride." The format of blind cricket itself is unique, using a plastic ball with metal bearings that jingle, and grouping players by sight categories—B1 (fully blind), B2, and B3. Teams must field a mix of all three, with B1 batters using runners for safety and each run they score counting as two. The game is played with the ball bowled underarm along the ground, adding a distinctive rhythm and strategy to the contest.
India’s dominance in the round-robin stage set the tone for their campaign, as they won all five of their group matches and became the first team to secure a semifinal spot. The squad’s diversity is reflected not just in their backgrounds, but in their roles and journeys to the top. Captain Deepika TC, who lost her sight as a baby, found her calling in cricket through specialized schools. "This is the biggest moment of my and my team's life. Earlier this month, the sighted Indian women's cricket team won the World Cup in Navi Mumbai, and we want to make it a double this month," Deepika shared. The support from established stars like Jemimah Rodrigues and Shubman Gill has added further motivation.
Vice-captain Ganga Kadam’s story is equally inspiring. Growing up in Maharashtra as one of nine siblings, she was enrolled in a school for the blind by her farmer father. Cricket began as a casual pastime, but with encouragement from mentors, she honed her skills and became a beacon for visually impaired girls in her village. The team also boasts talents like Anekha Devi from Jammu and Kashmir, who joined a blind cricket camp at her uncle’s urging, and Phula Saren from Odisha, whose journey began after losing vision in her left eye and her mother at a young age. Sunita Sarathe from Madhya Pradesh, another key player, only discovered cricket after college and worked relentlessly to catch up with her peers.
The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), established in 2011, has been instrumental in nurturing this talent. Systematic scouting for a women’s team began in 2019, leading to India’s first international match in 2023 and a gold medal at the IBSA World Games in Birmingham the same year. Mahantesh GK, CABI’s chairperson, reflected on the journey: "We believed we were doing injustice by not giving visually impaired women the same opportunities as the men. Creating this tournament took huge effort. Money was a challenge. Getting teams was a challenge. But we persisted. Now the response from both the central and many state governments, sponsors, the corporate world and the public has been remarkable. The future will be much bigger."
The World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC), headquartered in London, has overseen blind cricket since 1996, but this year marks the first-ever women’s World Cup. The tournament’s visibility has soared, with all matches streamed live on CABI’s YouTube channel and state-run Prasar Bharati platforms, while India’s games are also broadcast on Doordarshan. This exposure is already changing perceptions back home. Coach Shetty commented, "Now that people have watched these matches on livestreams and seen these women perform, families will feel more confident about allowing their daughters to play. It will not feel like an unknown path anymore."
As anticipation builds for Sunday’s final at the historic Saravanamuttu Stadium—the oldest Test venue in Sri Lanka—both India and Nepal stand on the cusp of history. The match promises not just a trophy, but a statement: that visually impaired women athletes belong on the world stage. With momentum, pride, and a nation’s hopes behind them, India’s blind women cricketers are ready to chase a dream that once seemed impossible. The world will be watching as a new chapter in cricket’s story is written in Colombo.
