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.
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