“There is nothing impossible in the world.”
As he said these words in front of a gathering of people most of whom couldn’t see him, he was greeted by thunderous applause. Those clapping either knew that the speaker had proved his words or were enthusiastic about what was coming next.
Pawan Ghimire, the man crazy about making Nepali blind play in the Blind Cricket World Cup, spoke as one ambitious blind individual. And why not? After all, after losing his eyesight in a Maoist ambush four years ago, the Nepali Army (NA) captain has been able to put all that behind him and start life anew.
“I lost both eyes on July 8, 2003 in the Maoist ambush,” Ghimire told the Post. For a seeing-turned-blind, it wasn’t an easy life. It was last year that he was invited to participate in a cricket training camp for the blind, and he joined.
“I had played a little cricket during my childhood,” he said. “But during that eight-day training, I learnt much about blind cricket.” When the Pakistani trainers left, it was he who took on the responsibility of continuing the training.
He was then invited to the Third Blind Cricket World Cup in Pakistan as an observer, given a 22-day training and also awarded with a special prize from the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC). Since then, he has been a player-cum-coach conducting trainings.
“Now we have around 45 blind who regularly play cricket in addition to 150 who can play,” Ghimire said sitting in the Institute of Engineering grounds – the venue for the first ever National Blind Cricket Tournament being co-organized by Cricket Association of Blinds, Nepal (CABN) and the Welfare Society for Blind and Disabled, with support from PBCC.
“It’s really amazing,” Abdul Razzak, who led Pakistani blind cricketers at two world championships, said. “Within eight months of hearing about it, they are organizing a tournament.” The event will run for the next four days and is being participated by three teams – Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Kirtipur. Rauthat was scheduled to participate but couldn’t make it due to the terai tensions.
“People here have the craze, they want to learn and do something,” Razzak said. “Very soon, Nepal is going to make a very good team and it’s an honor for us too because we initiated cricket here.” PBCC is all set to invite Nepal for a tour at the end of this year to participate in the Afro-Asian Games.
With the slogan “Rising with the Rising Nepal”, CABN is all set to send Nepal to participate in the Fourth World Cup in 2010. The organizers hope that the event will give the blind cricketers exposure. “This is for social awareness, we want to tell society that the blind too are capable of doing something,” event co-coordinator Sunil Timilsina said.
Ghimire’s achievement as a blind is something that had injected hope into many blind people. His father, who was present at the ceremony, proudly told the Post that he saw little difference in his son’s life after the incident.
When asked about the difference between being a seeing army officer and a blind cricketer, Ghimire answered insightfully, “The idea is the same – read and beat the opponent. Only difference is between lead bullet and cricket ball.”
Photos by NepalPhotoAgency