Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar met the Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team. They are the new T20 Blind Cricket World Cup Champions. In an interaction at the MIG Cricket Club in Mumbai, the women’s team members were very excited to meet Sachin.
This was a defining moment for the World Champions, whose journey to the title has been shaped by perseverance and discipline. Sachin congratulated the team on their monumentous achievement and listened to their personal and sporting journeys. He was with the World Champions for close to an hour.
Sachin praised the determination of the team and said that they had overcome formidable hurdles to chase their dreams. He added that the team crossed the final hurdle by winning the World Cup. He also noted that their perseverance and hard work would be remembered and celebrated well beyond the tournament.
Sachin is also a World Cup (2011) winner and reminded the team that success brings a great responsibility with it. According to him, the expectations from the women’s team will now rise, and meeting those expectations will demand even more hard work and focus from them. He emphasized that the World Cup victory is not an endpoint but a beginning of a longer journey.
It was a moment to savor for the World Champion blind players to meet the man they grew up admiring. It was an overwhelming and unforgettable experience for many players. Several players termed it a moment of validation for their hard work over many years. They felt like their achievements had truly been recognized at the highest level.
The captain of the team, Deepika TC, felt emotional meeting the legend.
“Meeting Sachin Sir was like a dream come true. We have always played with passion and belief, but hearing words of encouragement from him has touched our hearts deeply. This moment will stay with us for life and will motivate us to work even harder and carry Indian cricket to greater heights,” she added.
Sachin took photographs with all the players and gave them autographs as well. He was also given a bat with the autographs of all the players.
G.K. Mahantesh, President, Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), said that the interaction was a moment to cherish for the entire team. He also noted that the encouragement from the cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar provides immense confidence for the entire ecosystem of blind cricket in India.
