By: Muhammad Faheem Anwar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will host T20 Blind Cricket World Cup this year as World Blind Cricket has officially approved the dates of the event starting from November 20th and final will be held on December 3rd.
The dates of the Blind World Cup were decided in the annual meeting (AGM) of World Blind Cricket held at the ICC Board Room in Dubai, Syed Sultan Shah, President World Blind Cricket Ltd presided over the meeting. Representatives from 8 full member countries including Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were attended the meeting.
In the Blind T-20 World Cup, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh have confirmed their participation in the World Cup, while the confirmation of Australia’s blind cricket team’s participation in the event is awaited.
WBCL officially approved the Pakistan will host the 4th edition of the T-20 World Cup Cricket of the Blind, scheduled to begin on November 20, 2024, the tournament’s final will coincide with World Disability Day on December 3, 2024.
During AGM several changes to the WBC rules were approved, incorporating amendments from the MCC Laws of October 2022. These rules will be implemented from 1st March 2024.
Matthew Kennedy, the International Cricket Council’s Global Development Manager also attended the meeting, outlining ICC’s perspective and future plans for the inclusion of disability cricket in their strategic plan to reach out to 30 million new people by 2030.
The WBC Technical Committee has been tasked with comparing the IBSA eyesight assessment form with the current WBC form and proposing any necessary changes or amendments. Additionally, they are to consider adopting the IBSA eyesight testing procedures. Their recommendations are to be presented to the Executive Committee of World Blind Cricket by the end of March 2024.
India has been granted the hosting rights for the 1st T-20 Women’s World Cup Cricket of the Blind, proposed to be hosted in December 2025. Several prospects of the promotion of Blind Cricket across the Globe, possible challenges and the way forward to provide equal opportunities to blind Cricketers were discussed at the Annual General meeting.