Garden city Plus English Weekly Newspaper
Editor: T Ramesh
VOLUME - 4 ISSUE 23
Bangalore
May 06 - May 12, 2017
PAGES - 8
Rs 2
www.gardencityplus.com
Wheelchair Cricket Tournament makes its Debut in S India; Bengaluru Plays Host
- T Ramesh
O
n Sunday, April 30, Cricket was played by differently abled enthusiasts who are bound to wheelchairs always. A leather ball National level Wheelchair cricket tournament organized by a Bengaluru based NGO, ‘Divyaang Myithri Sports Academy’, was played at St. John’s Medical College Ground, Koramangala, for those who are living their lives literally on a wheelchair. This tournament is the first of its kind in entire South India and making its debut here was a dream come true said Mr. Dilip Kumar, organizer of the tourney. But the wheelchair cricket tournaments are regularly conducted in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and parts of other North Indian places, where it is quite popular among all other States. The tournament, twelve overs a side, attracted huge cricket lovers to watch the match between Karnataka and UP. The spectators were all seen to be encouraging and
very supportive to both the teams. The tournament saw only three teams participating, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. But it was encouraging enough to make a debut to attract more teams to participate next time. A lot of enthusiasm was
seen by the spectators let alone the cricketers playing the tourney. A mat pitch was laid and the game was played with the same tradition and convention as it is being played at the biggest level, the only difference being that if the bowler bowls a ball on the
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wheelchair, then it is called a ‘No Ball’ and a ‘Free Hit’ is given. As soon as the batsman hits the ball, he drops his bat and rolls his wheels to take a single or two. It was a great sight to see 13 wheel-bound players fighting it out in the middle for a game of cricket. They played like champions, hitting fours and sixes from their wheelchairs, and they dived and jumped from their wheelchair to stop a ball while fielding to save that extra run. What champion players they were and executed proper cricketing shots including text book cover and straight drives! They were no rash strokes. Cricket was the winner. The final result was a surprise. Karnataka beat favourites UP by one run! The Chief Guest of the tournament, Mr. Ramlinga Reddy, Transport Minister, said that such events for the challenged and differently abled should be organized and their talent brought to the fore for people to take
cognizance of the game and encourage in a more spirited manner and funds could be raised. He wished all the players to raise their levels to a higher rank with glory. “We started with cricket first among people who are bound to wheelchairs as the gentleman’s game brings people of all walks of life, race, colour, region and religion together. We plan to have a wheelchair tennis, swimming and basketball soon,” said Dilip Kumar. Through this initiative Divyaang Myithri plans to identity talent who can compete in various other sports and train them for the Paralympics. Sonu Gupta, the Indian captain for Wheelchair Cricket and representing UP in this tournament, said they are able to play cricket normally like the traditional format, but bringing in players from their homes to the
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