Discover Blind Cricket – Play for the United States of America!
Are you ready to embrace a new sport and represent the United States on the global stage?
Welcome to blind cricket—a unique version of cricket crafted especially for visually impaired athletes. Originating over 100 years ago, blind cricket began when two blind factory workers in Melbourne transformed a tin can filled with rocks into a game, creating a pathway for visually impaired players to engage in competitive sports. Today, this incredible legacy continues under the World Blind Cricket Council, and you have the chance to become part of it!
Blind cricket is now expanding across the United States, and we’re calling on passionate, adventurous individuals to join the national team. With no state teams to navigate, you’ll step directly into representing America on an international level! Train with us, master the skills, and get ready to travel to India in 2025 for your first tournament — an experience of a lifetime!
Whether you’re an athlete, a sports lover, or just looking for a unique challenge, we want you on our team! Contact Ms. Abigail Finklea at +1 (608) 404-0420 or abeynova4@gmail.com or Ms. Shruti Shree Tyagi at +91 9899247108 (whatsapp) or shrutishree@samarthanam.org to learn more about how you can make history with blind cricket. You can also read an overview of the sport below:
What is Blind Cricket?
An Overview of its Rules, Equipment, Tournaments, and Impact
Blind cricket is a modified version of traditional cricket for players who are blind or partially sighted, overseen by the World Blind Cricket Ltd (WBC) since 1996.
Rules and Equipment
Blind cricket closely resembles mainstream cricket but includes unique adaptations:
- Teams: Each team has 11 players classified by vision: B1 (fully blind), B2 (partially blind, see up to 2 meters), and B3 (partially sighted, see up to 6 meters).
- Ball: Filled with ball bearings, making a rattling sound for easy tracking and slightly lighter.
- Bowling: Delivered underarm and rolled along the ground to aid players in tracking by sound.
- Batting and Fielding: Batsmen rely on sound cues, and fielders track the ball using auditory signals. B1 batsmen scores gets double and they need to bowl minimum 40% of the quota.
- Verbal Cues: Bowlers announce “Play!” when releasing the ball, which must bounce minimum twice for B1 batsmen and once for B2/B3 players.
Tournaments
Blind cricket features two main international tournaments: the ODI and T20 World Cups. The game formats include a 40-over game (ODI), and a T20 match.
Countries Currently Competing
Blind cricket has grown worldwide, with active teams from India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan.
Why Play or Support Blind Cricket?
Blind cricket empowers visually impaired individuals, providing a platform for physical, social, and personal development. Especially popular in cricket-loving countries like India, it nurtures teamwork, fitness, discipline, and resilience. The sport not only enhances skills but also fosters social inclusion and empowerment for the visually impaired.
Tentative Plan for Training
We plan to organise a training camp in the second half of January 2025 in a place that is warm and has apt training conditions. More details… coming soon