Tons by Sunil Ramesh and Deepak Malik help India make winning start in T20 World Cup for the Blind
Dec 06, 2022
New Delhi [India], December 7 : Brilliant hundreds from Sunil Ramesh and Deepak Malik helped India open their campaign at the 3rd T20 World Cup for the Blind, with a win over Nepal by 274 runs. The match was played at the Sledge Hammer Cricket Academy ground here in Faridabad.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also started their tournament with victories over Australia and South Africa respectively. India's match was witnessed by the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Haryana and legendary hockey player Sandeep Singh, as per a press release from Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI).
Indian captain Ajay Kumar Reddy won the toss and elected to bat. The opening pair of Sunil Ramesh and Ajay Kumar Reddy started the innings on the front foot and played aggressively, putting up a partnership of 102 runs. After Ajay's dismissal, Lalit Meena joined Sunil and stitched together a 72-run partnership, before Sunil was retired hurt. The opener smashed 106 runs of 38 balls with the help of 25 boundaries.
Deepak Malik then continued the momentum of the innings along with vice-captain D. Venkateswara Rao. The pair remained unbeaten till the end with Deepak scoring a swashbuckling 113 of 34 balls (22x4, 3x6) and Venkateswara getting 67 of 22 (11x4, 2x6) as India amassed 382/2 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chasing a huge target Nepal was under pressure from the very first ball. They lost wickets at regular intervals. The Indians were brilliant in the field effecting 7 run-outs in the innings which did not allow Nepal to build any momentum. Their innings ended at 108/9 in 20 overs giving India a comprehensive win.
Bangladesh beat South Africa by 99 runs in the other round-robin match played at the Saket Sports Complex in Delhi. Put into bat by South Africa, Bangladesh riding on half-centuries by Salman and Abid scored 231/5 in 20 overs. South Africa ended their chase at 132/7 in their 20 overs.
At DDA Siri Fort Sports Complex in the national capital, Sri Lanka beat Australia by seven wickets to start their tournament with a win. Australia who was put into bat scored 158 for the loss of 9 wickets. Cameron Matt top-scored for the Aussies with 48. Sri Lanka reached the target in just 13.4 overs, aided by good knocks from Suranga Sampath and Ruwan Wasantha, who scored 63 and 43 runs respectively.
Scores: India - 382/2 in 20 overs (Sunil Ramesh - 106, Deepak Malik - 113 not out, D. Venkateswara Rao - 67 not out) beat Nepal - 108/9 in 20 overs (Khemananda Ghatre 38, Sunil Ramesh - 1/7, Deepak Malik - 1/27)
Bangladesh - 231/5 in 20 overs (Salman - 62, Abid - 52, Md. Ashiqur Rahman - 45; Sphelele Khalala - 2/12) beat South Africa - 132/7.
Australia - 158/9 in 20 overs (Cameron Matt - 48; Suranga Sampath 2/20) lost to Sri Lanka - 162/3 in 13.4 overs (Suranga Sampath - 63, Ruwan Wasantha - 43; McCarthy Matt - 2/35)
Nepal will face Bangladesh at the Sledge Hammer Cricket Academy Ground, Faridabad and South Africa will face off against Australia at the Saket Sports Complex, New Delhi.
