‘India Beams with Pride’: PM Modi Hails Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team’s for Winning Gold in IBSA World Games

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the Indian women’s blind cricket team for scripting history at the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) World Games in Birmingham. The Sushma Patel-led side defeated Australia by 9 wickets in the rain-curtailed final to clinch the gold medal. India restricted Australia to 114/8 in the allotted 20 overs and then chased down the revised target of 42 in the fourth over.

PM Modi took to social media to congratulate the women in blue for their historic achievement at the IBSA World Games.

“Kudos to the Indian women’s blind cricket team for winning the Gold at the IBSA World Games! A monumental achievement that exemplifies the indomitable spirit and talent of our sportswomen. India beams with pride!” PM Modi posted on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

The Indian women’s team remained undefeated, winning all their league games as blind cricket made its debut in the IBSA World Games.

Australia went off to a poor start after batting first as they lost the first wicket in the 4th over. India picked two wickets in the eighth and ninth overs, reducing Australia to 39/3.

C Lewis and C Webeck then anchored the Australian innings with a 54-run partnership. However, India bounced back with wickets at regular intervals to restrict the Aussies to a paltry 114/8 in the allotted 20 overs.

Following the rain interruption, India were set a revised target of 42 runs as per the Duckworth-Lewis method. The women in blue went all guns blazing against the Aussies and chased down the target in just 3.3 overs with 9 wickets remaining.

In another thrilling encounter, the Indian men’s blind cricket team will meet arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the IBSA World Games. Pakistan had defeated India by 18 runs when the two teams began their World Games campaign last week.

(With Agency Inputs)