The Cricket Association for the Blind of India (CABI) on Wednesday announced that it is withdrawing the team from the fourth edition of the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be held in Pakistan, after failing to obtain permission from the government Indian to the squad to travel to Pakistan.
The tournament is scheduled to start on November 22nd and run until December 3rd.
“While this is a significant setback for the team, CABI fully respects the government’s concerns and decision in this regard,” the board said in a statement. “The team had been training rigorously and was eager to compete. However, we prioritize the government’s guidance and remain steadfast in our commitment to the continued development of Blind Cricket in India.”
“We played with passion and represented our country with immense pride. We have always wanted to compete on the biggest stage and it is disheartening to miss this opportunity,” said Durga Rao Tompaki, captain of the Indian men’s cricket team. team for the blind, he said. “However, we know the next World Cup is just around the corner and we remain committed to our training and preparation.
“We had a successful training camp and saw emerging talent that we believe can take our team to greater heights. It’s time to nurture these talents and ensure our team is ready when the next tournament arrives.”
The development comes 100 days before the start of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will also be held in Pakistan. On 9 November, the BCCI informed the ICC that India would not travel to Pakistan for the tournament – again, a decision taken on the advice of the Indian government.
The Champions Trophy schedule was supposed to be released by the ICC today.
India hosted and won the first three T20 Blind Cricket World Cups, defeating Pakistan in the finals of the first two editions and Bangladesh in their most recent triumph.
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