Participation of India’s physically disabled cricketers in 1st world cup looks uncertain

India’s physically disabled cricketers may not take part in the first World Championship for this category to be held in 2019 in England.

There is uncertainty because India’s physically disabled cricketers are not affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is hosting the event between 16 to 31 July 2019. The BCCI has to confirm India’s participation in the World Cup for the physically challenged by the end of 2018.

The head of the ECB has written an email to BCCI, the All India Cricket Association for the Physically Challenged (AICAPC), and the Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India (PCCAI) about this matter.

In the email, the ECB head has said that as per the rules, each team that takes part has to be a representative of the national cricket board. The ECB has written to the heads of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards seeking their confirmation.

No disability wing in Indian Cricket Board

Except for the BCCI, the three cricket boards Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh have a wing for disability cricket. The BCCI had held some meetings with the physically challenged cricket associations asking them to form one group before taking the category of disability cricket under its wing.

However, there has been no concrete progress in this for the last few years. Former India cricket captain, Ajit Wadekar, who is president of the AICAPC, has promised to start the process of including the physically challenged cricket associations under the BCCI.

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