SHARJAH: India created history as they beat Pakistan by two wickets to lift their second Blind Cricket World Cup title, in Sharjah on Saturday.
This is India’s second championship and they join Pakistan as the only two teams to have won two Blind World Cup titles. Batting first, Pakistan scored a healthy total of 307 in 40 overs, which India achieved in 38.2 overs with two wickets intact.
India comfortably chased down the target in just 34.5 overs, with Haryana’s Deepak Malik (B3 – blind level 3) scoring the highest runs of 79 off 71 balls.
PM Modi wrote on Twitter: “Congratulations to our cricket team for winning the 2018 Blind Cricket World Cup! They make the nation proud and inspire every Indian with their game as well as phenomenal attitude. True champions!”
India had previously won the tournament in 2014, beating the same opponent in Cape Town. The Men in Blue remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.
For the final, Pakistan’s legendary batsman and former International Cricket Council president Zaheer Abbas and former Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani, who is also the Patron of India’s blind cricket was present.
