Blind women from India and Pakistan put aside political tensions on Sunday to shake hands with neutral Sri Lanka in a cricket tournament for the visually impaired.
In what organizers are describing as the world’s first blind women’s T20 tournament, players from the two South Asian neighbors showed they had sporting vision even if they were blind – unlike their regular national teams.
Tensions on and off the field have been high since the deadly military clash between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May.
India’s men refused to shake hands with their Pakistani rivals at the Asia Cup in September – a controversial and widely condemned move, since which neither side has shown any sign of making amends.
That hostility spread to the women’s teams who were denied any salute at the recent T20 World Cup, as well as Sunday’s men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup clash in Doha.
India’s blind players were expected to mirror the behavior of their sighted teams when there was no handshake after the toss, but at the end of the match both sides greeted each other warmly.
The two sides, who traveled together to the venue on the same bus, not only shook hands but also exchanged generous compliments.
India won by eight wickets in just 10.2 overs after Pakistan were restricted to 135 for eight in their 20 overs at the Free Trade Zone grounds in Katunayake, 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Colombo.
Pakistan skipper Nimra Rafique congratulated India for their comprehensive win while her Indian counterpart TC Deepika said Pakistan played well.
The teams applauded each other loudly, but none of the players were allowed to speak to the press.
“The Biggest Chance”
There were hardly any spectators, but the match was broadcast live by Sri Lanka’s national television, Rupavahini. Blind Sri Lankan officials hosting the tournament “watched” the match on YouTube hearing the commentary.
said Indian team manager Shika Shetty AFP before the match that the tournament was opening up opportunities for more women.
“This is the first World Cup for blind women… I think this is one of the biggest opportunities for our entire visually impaired girls,” said Shetty, who is not blind.
“Maybe a lot of girls with disabilities will come out of their villages. Maybe they’ll come for studies, maybe they’ll come for sports. So it’s useful for other girls too.”
Blind cricket relies on a keen ear as players have to spot a white plastic ball – about the size of a tennis ball – filled with bearings that rattle as it moves.
Pakistan coach Tahir Mehmood Butt, also speaking before the match, said that the introduction of women’s blind cricket has created new opportunities for young players in Pakistan.
“For the totally blind, if they have good hearing, they can become good cricketers,” Tahir said AFP.
Each team must compete with at least four completely blind players, three who can see up to two meters and four visually impaired players who can see up to about six meters.
Totally blind batsmen may have a partially sighted runner. Bowling is underarm, unlike the traditional game.
Four other nations — Australia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the USA — are competing in the tournament that started in India and moved to Sri Lanka for the final stages. The final is scheduled for next Sunday in Colombo.
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