Indian women's cricket team for the blind meets Sri Lanka PM ahead of inaugural Women's T20 WC

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) The Indian women’s cricket team for the Blind, along with key representatives from the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and the World Cup Organising Committee, met the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Harini Amarasuriya on Saturday.

The meeting was held ahead of the first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup – Cricket for the Blind 2025, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from November 11 to 23.

The delegation included Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, Chairman of CABI and Founder of Samarthanam Trust, Meenakshi Lekhi, Chairperson of the World Cup Organising Committee and Shailender Yadav, General Secretary of CABI. The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India , H.E. Mahishini Colonne was also present in the meeting.

Expressing delight, Sri Lanka PM said, "Very happy to know that Sri Lanka is co hosting the first Women’s T20 World Cup – Cricket for the Blind. So really looking forward to see results of the match, hopefully Sri Lanka does well. And wish everyone team all the best. It is great to see the teams doing really good work and inspirational work and happy to support the Cricket for The Blind."

Speaking about the interaction with Sri Lanka PM, Mahantesh said, "It is a moment of great pride for us to have this opportunity to meet the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The partnership between India and Sri Lanka for hosting the inaugural Women’s Blind Cricket World Cup is a milestone in promoting inclusivity and inspiring countless young women with visual impairment to pursue their dreams through cricket."

The Women’s T20 World Cup – Cricket for the Blind 2025 will feature teams from India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan, Nepal, and the USA, with matches scheduled in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Colombo.

All five participating teams are schedule to arrive in Delhi in the second week of November 2025. Pakistan will arrive to in Colombo to play in the neutral venue. The tournament will feature 15 league matches, two semi-finals, and a grand finale.

CABI, the cricketing arm of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, is the organiser of this landmark World Cup, reflecting India’s leadership in creating equitable platforms for athletes with disabilities, especially women.

--IANS

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