India Wins Samarth Championship for Blind Cricket 5-0, Defeats Sri Lanka by 90 Runs

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) Nakula Badanayak led the Indian men’s team to a resounding victory against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final T20 of the Samarth Championship for Blind Cricket, winning by 90 runs at the Karnail Singh Stadium on Friday. India dominated the series with a 5-0 win.

In a stellar batting performance, India posted 227/5 with Nakula, Gudadappa, and Durga Rao making significant contributions. Sri Lanka could only manage 137/7 in their chase, as Durga Rao, Nilesh Yadav, and Sanjay Kumar Shah picked up crucial wickets. Nakula was named the Player of the Match for his impressive 70 runs in 39 balls.

Opting to bat first, India started strong and continued to build partnerships throughout the innings. Despite some late run-outs, they set up a challenging target of 228 for Sri Lanka. In response, Sri Lanka faltered early and struggled to form profitable partnerships, eventually falling short by 90 runs.

The closing ceremony saw the presence of notable personalities such as Meenakshi Lekhi, Madan Lal Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Dr. Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, and Shailender Yadav. The Player of the Series award was shared by Ajay Kumar Reddy, Nakula Badanayak, and Chandana Desapriya, with India receiving a cash prize of INR 1,50,000 along with the trophy.

Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) in collaboration with the ‘Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled’ and the ‘Cricket Association for the Blind in India’ (CABI) organized the series to highlight the talent of visually impaired cricketers and promote inclusivity for people with disabilities.