Dehradun (Uttarakhand): Uttarakhand defeated Pondicherry by 64 runs while Delhi thrashed Maharashtra by 142 runs here at the Doon Baluni Cricket Academy in the ongoing 6th edition of Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2023-24 also known as Nagesh Trophy on Monday.
After the conclusion of the Jammu leg, the IndusInd Bank Nagesh Trophy is now set for the Group B matches, featuring intense competitions among Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, and Uttarakhand. These teams will battle it out over the next few days, showcasing their skills and determination.
In the first match of the day in Dehradun, Uttarakhand scored 177/2 in the allotted 20 overs and then folded Pondicherry for 113 in 19 overs, registering a thumping win by 64 runs. Gambheer Singh Chauhan scored 81 of 68 balls for Uttarakhand and was adjudged the Player of the Match.
In the second game, riding on the century of Sanjay Kumar Shah (110 in 44 balls), Delhi smashed 241/3 in the allotted 20 overs. Maharashtra had no answer to Delhi’s bowling and were folded for 99 runs in 15 overs with captain Nilesh Yadav picking up three wickets. Sanjay was named as the Player of the Match for his brilliant ton.
Earlier the inauguration of the Group B League Matches was held with the august gathering. The eminent guests wished the teams the best. Director General of UCOST Dr Durgesh Pant, Vipin Baluni- Chairman, Social Baloni Public School, Nishanth – Chairman Institute of Technology and Management (ITM), Rajesh Kumar IAS – Director SIRD Jharkhand who is a Visually Impaired and an Inspiration, Shailender Yadav- General Secretary, Cricket Association for the Blind in India(CABI) and officials from Cricket Association for the Blind in Uttarakhand were present.
Karnataka and Uttarakhand will now be up against each other while Pondicherry will face Maharashtra on Tuesday here at the Doon Baluni Cricket Academy on Day 2 of the Dehradun leg.
The ongoing 6th edition of Nagesh Trophy began on November 23 with the four teams of Group E battling out at the University of Jammu. The tournament will run till February 02, 2024 and the League stage will be played till December 29, 2023.
Jammu and Kashmir won all matches and now sits on top of the table with 6 points. Goa is in the second spot with 4 points while Railways on third with two points. Punjab wasn’t able to win a single match and ended the Jammu leg with zero points in Group E.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has also joined hands with Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) as Brand Ambassador for Nagesh Trophy.
Meanwhile, after the league matches end on December 29, 2023, Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) in association with the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled will hold the Super 8 Stage Matches at Nagpur, Maharashtra in January 2024.
The league matches of the 6th edition of the IndusInd Bank Nagesh Trophy are being played across 6 venues namely, Jammu, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kochi (Kerala), Chandigarh, Agarthala (Tripura), and Kota (Rajasthan).
A total of 28 Teams (State /UT’s and an Indian Railways team which is represented by the Visually Impaired working in Railways) are playing the T20 format Tournament. 28 teams are divided based on the last year’s ranking into 6 groups. The first 4 groups have 5 teams each and the last 2 groups have 4 teams each.
The 5th edition had the joint winners (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) due to the rain. Odisha won the Nationals once while Andhra Pradesh had emerged victorious in the finals of the tournament 3 times.
Group A: Group A brings together teams from Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Group B: Group B will have teams from Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, and Uttarakhand.
Group C: In Group C, the stage is set for a competitive showdown as Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar face off.
Group D: Group D is a collection of teams, featuring Gujarat, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.
Group E: Jammu and Kashmir, Railway, Punjab, and Goa will compete against each other in Group E.
Group F: Group F comprises teams from the north-eastern and central regions of India. Manipur, Assam, Tripura, and Chhattisgarh will showcase their talents.
Nagesh Trophy was launched in the memory of Late Shri SP Nagesh, Founder President, Cricket Association for the Blind in India and Founder Trustee, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled. The launch of the tournament brought together the entire blind cricket community into one huge platform, by creating a milestone in the blind cricket history.
