India scripted history after grabbing their third straight T20 World Cup for Blind as they bulldozed Bangladesh by 120 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday (December 17).
Riding on Sunil Ramesh's stunning 136 off 63 and skipper Ajay Kumar Reddy's unbeaten 100 off 50, India posted a competitive total of 277/2 on the board in their stipulated 20 overs after opting to bat first. Sunil and Ajay stitched a record 247-run stand for the third wicket in the grand finale after the defending champions lost their first two wickets for just 29. In reply, Bangladesh ran out of steam and could only score 157/3 and eventually succumbed to India by 120 runs. Lalit Meena and Ajay Kumar were the pick of the bowlers for India as they picked one wicket apiece.
The previous two T20 World Cup wins for India came in the years 2012 and 2017, respectively.
The 2022 edition was marred with a few controversies before its commencement as the Pakistan team were denied VISAs. Pakistan was a serious contender to challenge India at the World Cup, however, they could not participate in the tournament.
Blind cricket was invented in Australia in 1922 by two blind factory workers who improvised the game using a tin can containing rocks. The rules of blind cricket are based on the standard laws of cricket with some essential modifications. In terms of playing equipment, the major adaptation is the ball, which is significantly larger than a standard cricket ball and filled with ball bearings to provide audible cues.
