Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament from Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, yesterday inaugurated the First Women's T20 World Cup for the Blind 2025 in New Delhi as the Chief Guest. He extended his best wishes to all participating players. Shri Anurag Singh Thakur expressed gratitude to all guests and partners for their continued support in promoting the interests of visually impaired athletes.
The inaugural Women's Twenty20 Cricket World Cup for the Blind kicked off in New Delhi today. The opening ceremony was attended by former Minister of State for External Affairs and Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi; Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma; Chairman of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), Dr. Mahantesh G.; CABI General Secretary Shri Shailendra Yadav; and other officials associated with the event. The first match will be played between India and Sri Lanka. Six teams—India, Sri Lanka, USA, Nepal, Australia, and Pakistan—are participating in the tournament. Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the competition will run from November 11 to 23, with the final to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the inauguration, Shri Anurag Thakur said, “Hosting the First Women's T20 World Cup for the Blind 2025 in India is a matter of immense pride and joy for all of us. Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has consistently worked to promote sports and athletes, particularly in honoring and encouraging differently-abled players without any shortcomings. This is a landmark event. I welcome all the participating teams to India and extend my best wishes for the World Cup. Give your best and perform excellently—that is my earnest hope. This World Cup marks a pivotal moment in the journey of inclusive cricket, highlighting the courage and determination of players who break barriers and redefine the spirit of the game.”
Shri Anurag Singh Thakur further stated, “India is proud to host the world's first Women's Blind T20 World Cup, with the Sri Lankan government as co-host. This is not just a cricket tournament but a global platform for women worldwide, empowering them to realize their dreams and advance toward self-reliance. It is a proud moment for me that, during my tenure as Sports Minister, a blind cricket captain was honored with the Arjuna Award. Since 2014, our government has continuously enhanced support for para-athletes and blind cricketers. As BCCI President, I took the decision to establish India's first residential academy for girls in Dharamshala. Additionally, BCCI introduced contracts for women cricketers for the first time, increased international tours for women, allowed participation in Australia's WBBL, and implemented victory bonuses on tours to boost the morale of female players. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Mahantesh G., Chairman (CABI), Shri Shailendra Yadav, General Secretary (CABI), and their entire team for this historic event.”
Dr. Mahantesh G. highlighted the social impact of the event, saying, “This World Cup represents not only sporting excellence but also a social movement toward equality and inclusion. I am deeply grateful to Anurag Thakur ji for all he has done for our organization and players. From granting us recognition to standing by us whenever needed, we have always found him with us, and we will remain forever thankful. The struggle and dedication of these women athletes serve as an inspiration to us all.”
Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, said, “All the cricketers present here give hope to others that if you are determined and have noble intentions, you can achieve anything. The way they play and make us proud is an inspiration for everyone.”
Also present at the occasion were Shri Rana Vikram Anand, Head of Customer Management Pan India Liability, IndusInd Bank; Shri Sameer Mittal, Commercial Head for Asia Pacific, CSC; Dr. Vijay Datta, Principal, Modern School; Shri Ashok Solomon, Chairman, Chintels Group; His Excellency Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner to India; Ms. Ekaterina Lazareva, Second Secretary, Russian Embassy in India; His Excellency Mahishini Colonne, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India; Shri Anubhav Sinha, Group Manager, Brand Strategy and Marketing, HCL Group; Smt. Gauri Bahulkar, Senior Director, Global Corporate Social Responsibility, NTT Data Services; Shri Jackie Bhagnani, Actor, Producer, and Entrepreneur, Co-Owner of Pooja Entertainment and Founder of Just Music; Shri Amar Krishna, Vice President, Operations, eClinicalWorks India Private Limited; Shri Shyam Sunder Sharma, Director, Delhi and District Cricket Association; Shri Kartikeya Sharma, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Haryana; Smt. Mudita Lal, Country Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility (India), Adobe; and Shri Debashish Mishra, Chief General Manager, SBI New Delhi Circle. Diplomatic representatives also participated in the opening ceremony and extended their best wishes to the participating teams.