The blind show management students the way : Bangalore

IIMB students to learn life-skills and team work lessons from India's blind T20 cricket team

India’s blind T20 team stretch their muscles in Bangalore

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Here are some new teachers for the Indian Institute of Management - Bangalore (IIMB): Blind cricketers.

Management students have invited cricketers of India's blind cricket team to practice at the IIMB's ground on Bannerghatta Road. They plan to get a different perspective on management concepts related to team-dynamics, strategy, motivation, tactics and performance in extreme environments.

The Indian team from Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) won the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in 2012 after defeating Pakistan. The team has arrived in Bangalore to practice for their upcoming friendly-match against Australia on Sunday. The IIMB students are also trying to organise a friendly match against the team on Saturday.

The Australian team will play a couple of matches at KSCA's Alur ground on the city's outskirts as well as in the PES college grounds in Electronics City. Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, senior vice president, World Blind Cricket Council and general secretary, CABI said, "I requested the chairman of the Australian blind cricket team to play a few matches against the Indian team when I had met him at the World Cup. Since this entire week has been dedicated to prevention of blindness, it is a perfect time to play this friendly match."

The practice has been organised by Vikasana, the students' social service initiative, in association with CABI. Vivek Vineeth, a student volunteer at Vikasana said, "They make us feel very proud of them and we feel it is our duty to help them."

Sreedevi R, another student volunteer said, "Being specially-abled they strive so hard to meet their goals. It inspires us no end. We get to learn a lot ,, such as how to not stop until the goal is reached."

Though most of the rules are the same as traditional T20, some are modified to suit their requirements. Players belong to three categories: B1, B2 and B3. While players in B1 category are completely blind, those in B2 are 70 percent blind and those in B3 category can see up to six metres. Apart from that, a line is drawn across the middle of the 22-yard-pitch and the ball is bowled underarm instead of overarm.

The ball is made of fibre and has ball bearings inside it that help the cricketers to hear and locate the ball. The ball has to be bounced twice before the line as well as near the batsman, otherwise it can be termed a no ball. Players of the B3 category have to bowl at least four overs out of 20. If the ball hits the metal stumps more than eight inches above the ground, the batsman will not be declared out.

Virender Singh, 34, from Haryana said, "I have been playing blind cricket since 1994 when I was in class 7. I am very excited to play against the Australian team, I have always wanted to play them."



Source : Bangalore Mirror , 11th April 2014