Cricket Association for the Blind rues BCCI's lack of financial support ahead of key event

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) made another plea to the BCCI to extend financial support to the organisation, saying that while moral support was much appreciated, monetary aid will go a long way in improving the standard of the sport in the country.

CABI on August 7 announced that it will be sending its men's and women's teams for the IBSA World Games, scheduled to commence in Birmingham on August 19.

Cricket is making an entry into the quadrennial International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games this year and CABI hopes the success of its teams in the global event will take blind cricket to great heights.

"The BCCI had asked us to constitute the DCCI (Differently Abled Cricket Council of India) which we did. But we are not getting financial support from the BCCI, though we have their moral support and assist us by arranging venues for our matches," said GK Mahantesh, the CABI chairman at a press conference in New Delhi on August 7, which was also attended by former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif.

"Our cricketers have won three T20 World Cups and two ODI World Cup and we had received assurances from the sports minister about more support following our title triumph in the 2022 T20 Blind World Cup at Bengaluru, but nothing has happened so far," lamented Mahantesh.

The Indian men's team, led by Ajay Kumar Reddy, will play its first match in the IBSA World Games against arch-rivals Pakistan on August 20 in the five-team contest. The other competing teams in the men's section are Australia, England and Bangladesh.

The India women's team, led by Varsha, will play its first match against Australia on August 20. There are only three teams in the fray and the final will be played in Edgbaston on August 26.