Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 16 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday congratulated the Indian women’s blind cricket team on winning the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind, calling the achievement a moment of pride for the entire nation.
India, led by captain Deepika TC, defeated Nepal by seven wickets in the final held in Colombo. Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister praised the team’s performance and spirit. ‘I congratulate the Indian team who has made the entire nation proud,’ he said.
In the final, India opted to bowl first and put up a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Nepal to 114 for five in 20 overs. Chasing the target, the Indian batters reached 100 runs within the first 10 overs and completed the chase in the 13th over. Opener Phula Saren top-scored with a match-winning 44 off 27 balls, including four boundaries, while Karuna K contributed a brisk 42 from 27 deliveries. Saren was named Player of the Match for her performance.
Following the victory, captain Deepika TC expressed pride in the team’s effort and preparation. ‘We are very proud and it is a huge win. Our entire team worked very hard. It is a very strong team and other teams are afraid of playing with us. We are even ready to play with the men’s team,’ she said.
India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. They opened their campaign with a convincing win over Sri Lanka, followed by a 57-run victory against Australia after setting a target of 293. India then defeated Pakistan by chasing 136 runs in just 10.2 overs. In the semifinal, they overcame Australia by nine wickets before sealing the title with a dominant win over Nepal in the final. (ANI)