Role of Cricket and how it can help a person with visual disability
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, with over three billion followers, and is treated as a tradition in India. However, blind cricket, which is played by visually impaired athletes, is not well-known to many people. Nonetheless, the players compete with great passion, and their “spirited hearts” never falter. Blind cricket has been adapted for partially sighted and blind players and it is particularly prevalent in India, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia, and England. The Indian blind cricket team is considered one of the strongest in the world, having recently won the World Cup for the third time.
How is blind cricket played?
Blind cricket follows similar rules to sighted cricket, but with some modifications to make the game accessible for visually impaired players. For example, the bowler is permitted to bowl underarm, and the ball must pitch twice. In blind cricket, the batsman typically employs a sweep shot to maximize the likelihood of connecting with the ball. Verbal signals are used to indicate every action in the game. When the bowler is ready to throw, he should say “ready,” and the batsman should respond with a “yes.” If the bowler fails to say “ready” or “play” to the batsman while delivering the ball, the umpire will rule it as a no-ball.
Players in blind cricket are divided into three categories: B1, for those who are totally blind; B2, for those who are partially sighted; and B3, for those who are partially blind. A maximum of four partially sighted players are permitted per team, but a minimum of three partially blind players are required per team. A team must have a minimum of four players who are totally blind (B1). The playing field measurements are the same as those of regular cricket, with the boundaries a minimum of 45 and a maximum of 50 yards from the center circle.
Blind cricket is a soulful passion for many players, but they are often not recognized by society due to a lack of awareness in the field. There are very few coaching centers available for blind cricket, but the “Able Aura Academy” is a dedicated sports academy for differently-abled persons that provides coaching for various sports activities, including blind cricket.
Concluding with the note of expectation of the people who are eagerly waiting to achieve in their favourite sport. many people who are differently-abled face challenges in pursuing their favourite sports. Blind cricket is no exception in India, where talented players are not recognized or fully supported by the government. Few NGOs are supporting them, and no openings are provided in government jobs for blind cricket achievers. In many tournaments, players must invest their own money for their basic needs. The players’ only request is for the Indian government to take steps to recognise them and their sport.