Even before the rays of sun touches the green grass of the Annapurna Stadium of Prithivi Narayan Campus, a group of visually impaired people gather for the cricket training.
They sweep and roll bats happily with an aim of becoming the best among others so to represent the country in the Blind World Cup. There are altogether 70 of those including 35 women who practice for five hours a day in the training organized by the Cricket Association of Blind, Nepal (CABN).
“We have to stay inside the house whole day for we can’t see,” Teel Maya Bik of Siddha, Kaski said. “We are very happy to be here playing with friends.” As for others, she too wants to become the best player.
Those playing cricket are divided into three categories according to their visual capacity. On Thursday, at the end of three-day training, they learnt technical aspects like bat handling, hitting, rolling and catching along with cricket terms. “For them, to hit or catch the ball that makes sound is not a big deal,” Teel Maya said.
Pawan Ghimire, the CABN president and a player-cum-coach, said the training had been conducted to prepare players for the big event – the Fourth Blind World Cup 2010. “The training went satisfactory,” he said. “I am also happy that blind women were also enthusiastic in cricket.” CABN hopes to produce 100 blind players in Pokhara.
CABN is all set to run training camps in Nepalgunj, Dharan, Biratnagar and Chitwan and to establish blind cricket clubs. “We will then select the best players and train them for the World Cup,” coach Upendra Shrestha added. “Now, we have around 250 blind cricketers in Nepal.”
Those in Pokhara aim to practice regularly and play friendly matches every weekends. “Training blind for cricket is a good thing at the time when they are looking for their role in making of new Nepal,” Nilkantha Wagle, the general secretary of Kaski Blind Cricket Club, said. “This is helping us to showcase our talents and we hope to be in the World Cup.”
TEXT & PHOTO BY PREM NEPALI
PUBLISHED IN THE KATHMANDU POST