Mumbai: Maharashtra Deaf Cricket Team defeated Madhya Pradesh Deaf Cricket Team, with a lead of 45 runs to win the IDCA 3rd Test National Cricket Championship trophy for Deaf 2024, organised in association with Serum Institute of India (a part of Cyrus Poonawalla Group). The winning team was felicitated by the chief guest in the closing ceremony held at Essex Farms Cricket Club, Chhawla, Delhi on February 17, 2024.
In the final match played between Maharashtra Deaf Cricket Team and Madhya Pradesh Deaf Cricket team, the former won the toss and decided to bowl.
IDCA support partners and dignitaries from cricket and the corporate world also graced the event to motivate the players. Their presence reflected the collaborative spirit and commitment to celebrate inclusivity in sports.
Guest of Honour:
1. Dr Manish Sharma, principal – Venkateshwar International School
2. B.P. Sharma, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), New Delhi
3. Yogesh Pal Singh, Deputy Director of Education (Sports & PE) Govt. of NCT of Delhi
4. Dr Nagendra Solanki, chairman – Venkateshwar World School, Pune
5. ACP Rajesh Dogra, ACP, South-East District, Delhi
6. Mukesh Shukla, Sr anchor, DD News
7. Bhupendra, chairman, Essex Farms Cricket Club, Chhawla, New Delhi
8. Dev Dutt, Qualified BCCI coach
9. Sonika Takkar Vachcher, TGT-English, Venkateshwar International School
Dedicated to nurturing upcoming sports talent among specially-abled youth, Serum Institute of India (a part of Cyrus Poonawalla Group) collaborated with IDCA as the Principal Partner. The group extended full support to IDCA for the hearing-impaired men’s tournament as they competed to win the coveted cup.
Addressing the gathering, the chief guest, Dr. Sushi Singh, president, Centre for CSR | BRICS chamber of Commerce & industry; and Vice President, Police Families Welfare Society, Delhi Police, said, “I am honoured to be a part of the tournament and present the team with the championship trophy. These players are exceptionally talented and IDCA is playing a crucial role in nurturing their talent by providing them with the platform to showcase their skills.”
IDCA president Sumit Jain said, “All four teams performed exceptionally well at the tournament. Their zeal and prowess are commendable. For us, all of them are winners. We are also thankful to our partners for supporting us to give a platform to these talented players and join the ‘DaretoDream’ movement to mainstream them. IDCA is committed to nurturing the young talents of the country and strives to give them the opportunity to shine on the national and international level.”
The winning team was presented with the trophy and the winning amount of Rs. 1,00,000, while the runner-up was awarded with a consolation prize of Rs. 50,000. The best individual sportsmen in various categories including, batting, bowling, fielding, and super sixes were also felicitated for their commendable performance.
IDCA CEO Roma Balwani said, “We would like to extend our gratitude to all our support partners for believing in these young players and helping us to make their dream of playing at the national level come true. Sports is a powerful medium that connects people and we are certain that it would help us break barriers and promote inclusivity in the field. These specially-abled individuals are an essential part of our society and we must provide them with equal opportunity to grow and fulfil their dream.”
IDCA patron Reena Jain Malhotra commented, “It was an enthralling tournament and all the players performed exceptionally well. We thank our support partners for joining us today to cheer for the specially-abled players. We are hopeful that this initiative will motivate more players to take up sports.”
The six-day championship kicked off on 12 February 2024, at Essex Farms Cricket Club & Haryana Cricket Academy, Chhawla, New Delhi with a face-off between Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh. The event was inaugurated in a glittering ceremony by the chief guest Santosh Kumar Rai, district magistrate South-East, Delhi. Four teams from Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir participated in this tournament.
In support are IDCA’s long-term partners, KFC India, Hero Moto Corp, Nykaa, Impact Research, Cognito & Kaizzen.
