WI Blind Cricket team heading out to T20 World Cup

THE West Indies Blind Cricket team is expected to do rather well on their first trip to India when they head out for the first ever International T-20 Blind Cricket World Cup which is scheduled to be played from December 2 to 13 in Bengaluru.

Eight other teams, Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and host country India, will all be vying to take top honours in the tournament which will be carried out in round-robin format.

After a strong showing in their last performance at home where they whipped a visiting Australian side, the 17-member squad are highly motivated and confident going into next month’s competition. Skippered by Toussaint Gardner, the rest of the team, which consists B1 (Blind) Granville Carter, Anthony Cummins, Michael Durham, Jason Ricketts and Curtis Wells; B2 (Partially Blind) Mark Goddard, Caneel Graham, Dwayne Graham, Rajendra Ramnarine and Gregory Stewart and B3 (Partially Sighted) Haldene Forde, captain Gardner, Lo-Shane Myles, Jennson Poyah, Vice-captain Rodney Ramrattan, Dennol Shim and Kci Ward-Ryan, is looking to do well as ambassadors for the region.

The main group of the touring party is expected to leave Barbados on November 28 for England where they will join other members of the team before going on to India. The team’s officials will be Stevenson Evelyn (Manager), Vivalyn Latty-Scott (Coach), Marjorie Watson (Adjustment to Blindness Officer), Leroy Williams (Assistant Coach) and Nicola Yard (Physiotherapist).

President of the West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind (WICCB), Clevedon Mayers, expressed much delight that the team would be going to India. He noted, however, that this would not have been possible without the assistance of the organisations and other individuals who offered their support. Mayers added that the tour had appeared much in doubt because the WICCB did not have the resources to finance such an undertaking.

As a result, countries were requested to pay the airfares for their respective players on the team, while the Indian government and Indian top players are expected to undertake all expenses on the team’s arrival in India. Mayers further stated that the WICCB much appreciates the assistance from the Arts and Sports Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the Australian High Commission, Barbados Cricket Association, the Barbados Olympic Association, Williams Industries, the Barbados Community Foundation, City Of Bridgetown and the individuals who supported the cause.

Getting started with an opening ceremony on December 1 at the Sri Kanteevera Stadium, the West Indies team are expected to play on December 3-10 against each of the competing nations. (MP)