Disabled cricketers take to the field in UAE to show unifying power of sport

Cricketers from the Divyang Cricket League in India travelled to Sharjah to help break down barriers

The Delhi Challengers prepare to take to the field in their match with the Kolkata Knight Fighters. All pictures by Chris Whiteoak / The National

Nasir Khan, of the Rajasthan Rajwada team, is one of the players showing disability should not prevent people from pursuing their dreams

Rajasthan's Shakti Singh is hit for runs by a Mumbai Ideals batsman

Mumbai's Ravi Chandran bats in the game between Mumbai Ideals and Rajasthan Rajwada in the Divyang cricket league

Delhi's Mukesh Dangi fields in the game between Kolkata Knight Fighters and Delhi Challengers

Kolkata's Suvro Joarder is bowled by Delhi's Amreek in the game between Kolkata Knight Fighters and Delhi Challengers

Kolkata's Jeet Bhowmick bats in the game between Kolkata knight Fighters and Delhi Challengers

Dozens of disabled cricketers from India have travelled to the UAE to help break down barriers and show sport knows no boundaries.

Six teams from India’s Divyang Cricket League are in Sharjah to compete in a three-day Twenty20 tournament for sportsmen with physical disabilities that ends on Thursday. About 100 support staff also travelled to help promote the sport.

The group aims to encourage people with physical disabilities to take up the sport.

“They play great cricket and it does not matter that they are physically challenged,” said Mazhar Khan, manager of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

“They are a very competitive bunch and show that even if a person is playing with one hand or one leg, there is no stopping a person from competing. It can be a big boost to children with disabilities to know that they can meet the challenges they face and live their life.”

The T20 games were played without crowds due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The organisers hope the teams will return to spread awareness and that UAE players with special needs will be part of the competition.

The Divyang league also has players as part of a wheelchair cricket team and a women’s side that has played in cricket tournaments in India and overseas.