Bengaluru, Aug 26 (IANS) Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled on Tuesday announced the launch of a 12-day intensive coaching camp to prepare India’s top 56 visually impaired women cricketers for the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind, scheduled for November 2025 across three venues – New Delhi, Kathmandu and Bengaluru.

Players – selected from 16 states based on their performance at the Women’s National 2025 – have been placed into four teams: India Red, India Blue, India Yellow and India Orange. All participants will also receive a three-month stipend to support their preparation and Higher Education Support.

The camp, supported by NTT DATA, a global leader in digital business and technology services under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, was inaugurated at the Samarthanam Art Centre by Indian cricketer Shubha Satheesh.

“I feel truly humbled and privileged to be part of this event and to learn more about Cricket for the Blind. It was an honour to share the stage with these inspiring visually impaired cricketers, and I wholeheartedly wish them the very best for the upcoming World Cup. Cricket has always been my greatest passion and has given me everything in life. I stand in full support of Cricket for the Blind, and I urge everyone to come forward and support this remarkable initiative,” said Shubha.

The camp will deliver advanced cricket training along with life skills development, digital literacy, and financial literacy sessions.

Speaking at the event, Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, chairman of CABI, said, “The stage is set for the qualification phase of the Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind. We thank NTT DATA, who have been our staunch supporters for many years, for championing this historic moment and empowering our players to showcase their skills, leadership, and resilience on the world stage.”

–IANS

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