New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, hosted the Indian blind women’s cricket team, winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup, at 10 Janpath, New Delhi, on Wednesday. The Indian team made history by winning the first-ever Blind Women’s T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, beating Nepal by seven wickets in the final.

“Today, had the honour of hosting the Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team, the proud winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup, in New Delhi. Their historic victory is a powerful message of courage and possibilities. Their grit, discipline, and extraordinary spirit are an inspiration for the entire nation. India is proud of these champions,” posted Rahul Gandhi on Facebook.

The team’s success marked a perfect campaign, with India remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament, demonstrating complete dominance.

Opting to field first after winning the toss, India restricted Nepal to 114 for 5 in 20 overs. The chase was nothing short of clinical as India surpassed the target in just 12.1 overs with 47 balls to spare. Khula Sharir emerged as the stand-out performer, scoring an unbeaten 44 off 27 balls, including four boundaries, to guide India home comfortably.

In the semifinal, India secured a commanding nine-wicket victory over Australia, while Nepal advanced to the final by narrowly defeating Pakistan in the other last-four encounter.

En route to their title win, India defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets, Australia by 209 runs, Nepal by 85 runs, the United States by 10 wickets, and Pakistan by eight wickets in the group stage to progress to the semifinal, where they beat Australia by nine wickets before eventually defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the final.

India’s emphatic title run not only highlights their consistency but also marks a major milestone for blind cricket, paving the way for increased recognition and growth of the sport in the coming years.

–IANS

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