Blind Women Cricketers Need Govt Backing In Training Facilities | Indian Team Manager Shikha Shetty EXCL - video Dailymotion

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Watch an exclusive conversation with Shikha Shetty, the manager of the Indian Women's Blind Cricket Team, ahead of the historic Women's T20 World Cup for the Blind 2025. Find out about the unique challenges, the inspiring teamwork across different visual impairment categories (B1, B2, B3), and the incredible spirit driving these women athletes. Shikha shares how communication and coordination fuel their game, highlights the call for government support, and reflects on the strong inspiration drawn from the women's cricket team who recently clinched the world cup for India.&nbsp;

Transcript

00:00Viewers, today I have with me Shikha Shetty of Indian Women's Global Team for the Blind.

00:15She's speaking to me right ahead of the tournament which is going to begin from 11th of November.

00:20Shikha, it's quite interesting. This is the first ever global tournament for women T20 for the Blind.

00:26How do you feel about it? How has the journey been like and how is the preparation going?

00:30Thank you so much Hena for the opportunity. The team is well set because we had a one month coaching camp in Barakamba Modern School in Delhi.

00:42So it's really wonderful coaching camp what we had and maybe our entire team has had a very good session and the team is completely settled now.

00:54So they are ready for the play.

00:55Shikha, for our viewers because not many people know about the format of the selection for the 16 member squad.

01:03If you can talk about the categories which is there in the squad and how do you help the players coordinate in between these categories?

01:12So here in blind cricket it is completely different from the normal cricket.

01:16So here we have three categories. It is called B1, B2 and B3. B1 is a completely blind. They can't see anything.

01:23And B2 is person who can see up to four meters. And B3 category the person can see up to six meters.

01:30So here B1 category in a team there is a four person will be in a team.

01:35B2 category three people and B3 four people.

01:39434 is a ratio in blind cricket. When it comes to the coordination.

01:44So in our blind cricket team, it is all about the talks. The team will communicate more.

01:51They will talk to each other. And the ball which we use is a hard plastic ball.

01:56But inside there is a bearings. It makes a sound. So people, I mean our team members will observe the sound.

02:04And the entire the actions will be taken care of by the observation, the sound.

02:09And here maximum will be like if the batter is ready, the baller will ask ready batter.

02:18When the batter says yes, while releasing the ball, they will say play.

02:26So in the meantime, other category people, B2, B3 category people also guide B1 people where they

02:32have to stand, how to even the batting time on everything. It is all about the each other's

02:38coordination. When it comes to B1 bowling, the keeper will guide them where they have to

02:44put the ball. Like is it their hand is straight? Is it they are standing in a proper line?

02:51That everything will be guided by the keeper. So this is how the blind cricket is working.

02:57When we talk about blind cricket, recently we saw the massive win in the World Cup for the

03:02women's national team. First of all, how do you feel about it? And we are seeing a lot of videos

03:06coming out where the players of that national team are actually cheering for the blind team. They

03:12really want this team to win the tournament, which is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. What

03:17do you have to say about that? The number of which we already won the tournament, that was the

03:24World Cup. The entire thing is we are so excited actually. So our entire team was watching all the

03:29matches and we are seeing each and everything. It is an inspiration for our team actually. So how they

03:35were playing the Jamimas, that semi-finals, the winning moments and how they taken care, the complete

03:45team. So one time, one moment it came like maybe they are not reaching even the semi-finals. But they

03:52took it as a challenge and they reached in the semi-finals and won the trophy for our India.

03:58It is like for our entire team, they are watching each and every matches. They are not even missed

04:06single matches and they are following each and every players also. So they take it as an inspiration

04:12and also they are following all the men's matches too. And they are very excited to meet the players

04:18if possible. And so we have the same dream because they are also in blue and we are also in same blue

04:30and we are also playing for the same country. We are so excited to see our World Cup. Maybe it will

04:38be the great month. We are just hoping for that trophy. Already the girls already shown that what is

04:45of women power. So Nadi Shakti it is already shown. So we are also in the same path. When we talk about

04:51cricket for the blind, it is not something which has gained a lot of visibility, a lot of popularity.

04:57What do you have to tell or urge the government of India to do more in terms of promoting the cricket

05:04for visually impaired people? See, when it comes to the other sports, there is almost all the district

05:11level, the state level, international level, international level. There is everywhere the

05:15coaching camps are happening. They are having a proper premises for practicing. When it comes to

05:20the blind cricket, we don't have a proper setup to practice. So it is all like a private system

05:26what we are following. We are depending on the other organization or other ground. So may if the

05:32government supports, it helps visually a challenged person to come out and they can practice in their

05:41own areas. So if they get financial support, at least the training support, it will be really great.

05:49Because what we have seen, there is a lot of visually challenged people are there. They want to

05:58come out. But the main challenges is they can't come for the main cities like Bangalore or Delhi

06:05or Indore. There are very limited places. That also the Cricket Association for the Blind in India is

06:10taking care. If government also supports in this matter, maybe we can reach in a different level.

06:16Maybe we can reach each and every visual impact to if the really good talents or deserve person

06:22will be getting the more opportunities. Right. And Shika, there are six countries in this tournament.

06:28Which country do you think is the biggest competitor in this tournament for you?

06:32Actually, this is a tough question. Because all six countries are really, really good competitors.

06:43Because everyone wants to win the trophy. It's maybe our dream of each and every players. And

06:49I don't think so. But still because as I experienced, so we can say maybe our Nepal will be the toughest

06:56competitor for our India. Other than maybe Pakistan also. Yes. So all the countries are really,

07:03really they're doing well. Talk about your own journey. How did you start? This is a leadership

07:08role where you also have to tackle the emotions of the players. Because here we're talking about

07:13visually impaired people. They need to be empowered every now and then, whenever they face any high

07:18pressure situation. So how do you tackle that? So I am in 2019 onwards, the blind cricket. Maybe

07:26that is my passion towards the blind cricket and all any other sports too. Mainly when it comes to

07:34this blind cricket, we have an association called Cricket Association for the Blind in India. And here

07:41we have a state boards. Here we have a many organization support. Through this actually,

07:49maybe we reached today this level. Because although it is not only my effort. So I can't say that it is

07:55only my effort because it is an effort of each and single person from the maybe a state board or the

08:01organization, the committees, especially the Dr. Mahantesh GK, who is the chairman of this Cricket

08:07Association. So everyone is chairing these girls. Everyone is supporting them. Everyone is guiding

08:14them. So when it comes to very difficult situations, we like as a manager of this team actually, morally

08:23we support them. Morally we are supporting them, how to come out, if any difficult situations are coming,

08:30how to tackle that. So we also have our own experience. It is like a common life experience also.

08:35And when it comes to the physical strength, we do all the exercises, we will provide them the

08:40coachings, we will provide the necessary needs like a physio assessment. So we have our Rashri here,

08:48our Indian team physio. She will take care of each and every injuries will be taken care properly. So

08:55most of the time, like will be each and small, small things will be taken care by the organization,

09:01management, the every everyone. What do you have to say to visually impaired people who have a dream

09:06to get into sports or to their families? What message do you have? So I always request all the

09:12parents or families, please do support any any sports activities because they don't have any restrictions.

09:22They're also having the equal talent. And we don't have any rights to stop them. So maybe we can see

09:28there is a lot of any person with the disabilities. They won the gold medal for our India. Some are

09:34the climbed Mount Everest. So there are a lot of people received awards. There are a lot of people

09:42across these challenges and they shown what they are. And in our blind cricket, our ex-captain of Indian

09:49men's cricket, Shekhar Nayak, received a Padma Shri award. And also our another captain, Mr. Ajay Reddy,

09:56he also received the Arjun award in 2023. He received Arjun award. So there's no limits actually.

10:04So they can reach anywhere. So it's my humble request. Please don't stop them. Give them an

10:11opportunity. So they will show that what they are. Well, thank you so much Shikhar for speaking with

10:16Asiannet news. And I hope to get in touch with you again when India wins the trophy and brings it home.

10:23Sure. Thank you. Thank you so much. It's really a very, very big support for our blind cricket.

10:32Thank you so much.

Blind Women Cricketers Need Govt Backing In Training Facilities | Indian Team Manager Shikha Shetty EXCL

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