Howzzat! DGP opens cricket tourney for blind, eight teams to participate

Hyderabad: Telangana Director General of Police Dr Jitender inaugurated the Incredible India Telangana Blind Challenge Cup 2024 at the Water Works Stadium in Amberpet on Monday. It was organised under the auspices of the Telangana Development Association of the Blind and the Telangana Districts Cricket Association.

This tournament is being conducted with the goal of promoting inclusive sports by encouraging blind cricket. Speaking on this occasion, the DGP affirmed that the police department would continue to extend its unwavering support to visually impaired athletes. Dr Jitender took the opportunity to introduce and interact with the cricket players, conducted the toss, commenced the first match, and even joined in to play for a while, providing motivation and inspiration to the athletes.

Telangana Districts Cricket Association (TDCA) founder president and former chairman of Telangana Sports Authority, Allipuram Venkateshwara Reddy; Praveen Kumar Nedungadi, COO and MD of Incredible India Projects; Director Saridena Rahul Rao; Telangana State Government's Director of the Disabilities and Senior Citizens, B Shailaja; Telangana General Secretary of the Development Association of the Blind, Srisailam; senior cricketer Surender Reddy; Umar Khan, Chairman of Helen Keller Research Institute for Rehabilitation of Disabled Children; Khammam TDCA members, including Mateen; and SATS Cricket Coach Raj Shekhar, and others were present.

The tournament, which began on November 4, continues till November 7 and will feature four days of thrilling matches with participation from six men's teams and two women's teams. The men’s teams include Deccan Smashers, Game Changers, Ultimate Fighters, Hyderabad Heroes, The Warriors, and Telangana Bullets. The women’s teams are Warriors Women and Wonder Women.

DGP Dr Jitender remarked that the tournament aims to foster greater encouragement for the sporting talents of the visually impaired while enhancing awareness and support within the broader community.