Jammu
The 6th edition of the Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind, known as the Nagesh Trophy, commenced with enthusiastic competition among four teams on its opening day. The tournament, scheduled from November 23, 2023, to January 30, 2024, witnessed exciting matches in its league stage. In the first Group E match, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) secured a commanding victory over Indian Railways, defeating them by 82 runs at the University of Jammu. In the second match, Goa claimed a thrilling 3-wicket win over Punjab in a nail-biting contest. Mohammad Azeem’s outstanding performance led Jammu and Kashmir to a formidable total of 234/4 in 20 overs, with Azeem scoring an impressive 158 runs in just 77 balls. The team then bowled out Railways for 152 in 18 overs, starting their campaign with a convincing win. The second match proved to be a close encounter as Goa edged past Punjab by 3 wickets in the last over. Batting first, Punjab posted a total of 161 in 20 overs, and despite initial struggles, Goa successfully chased down the target with Ravi M playing a crucial role. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has joined hands with the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) as the Brand Ambassador for Nagesh Trophy. On the upcoming schedule, Railways will face Goa in the first match of the day, followed by a clash between Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir at the University of Jammu. After the conclusion of the league matches on December 29, 2023, the Super 8 Stage Matches will be held in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in January 2024. The tournament features a total of 28 teams representing states/UTs and the Indian Railways team, with matches taking place across six venues in Jammu, Dehradun, Kochi, Chandigarh, Agarthala, and Kota. The Nagesh Trophy, a T20 format tournament, has a rich history, and the current edition promises to be a platform for visually impaired cricketers to showcase their talent and compete at a national level.
