Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
Mumbai: In a significant step towards making cricket more inclusive, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has urged all 38 state cricket associations to take measures to support differently-abled cricketers and promote the development of the game in their respective jurisdictions. Differently-abled cricket is being played in India for the last 40 years. I hope that the state associations start working towards the betterment of different-abled cricket, so that it becomes part of the mainstream sport,” he added.
“Member associations are requested to take meaningful initiatives to promote the participation of differently-abled cricketers and to provide them with due encouragement, assistance and opportunities to grow in the game,” the BCCI secretary stated. He said the decision would encourage players across the country and expressed hope that the BCCI would extend the same kind of support to differently-abled cricket that it has provided to women’s cricket in recent years. We hope this initiative will inspire associations across the country to take concrete measures to support these cricketers and help them reach their full potential,” Singh said.
“I welcome this decision by the BCCI. For the last five years or so, the BCCI has supported the DCCI, thanks to Jay bhai (ICC chairman & ex-BCCI secretary Jay Shah). The BCCI’s move (to support differently-abled cricketers) in the BCCI’s 95th AGM was a milestone decision. “The differently-abled cricketers of India are very happy with the BCCI’s decision, and will get hugely encouraged from it. I hope that the BCCI promotes different-abled cricket the way it has promoted women’s cricket in the last few years. I hope that one day, the differently-abled cricketers will have a league of their own, and they will get an official recognition. “We express our sincere gratitude to the BCCI and its leadership for this encouraging initiative towards the welfare and development of differently-abled cricketers. This is a significant step towards making cricket more inclusive and ensuring that talented players get the encouragement, support and opportunities they deserve. The BCCI’s communication to its member associations reflects a positive commitment to strengthening differently-abled cricket in India.
I thank the secretary of BCCI for writing to all the state associations to support and run differently-abled cricket in their states,” Chauhan told TOI on Tuesday.