Hubli, Jan 7 (IANS): The inauguration of the Women’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the blind was held here at the Indira Glass House Hubli in the presence of Santosh Lad, Minister of Labour Government of Karnataka, Jagadish Shettar, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and the CABI officials.

Sixteen teams are set to ignite the cricketing fervor as they step onto the fields in Hubli-Dharwad on Monday to kick start the Women's National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2024. The 16 teams will compete at Karnataka Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Indian Railways Cricket Ground, BDK Cricket Ground, and SDM Cricket Ground respectively.

Welcoming the gathering Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, Chairman, Cricket Association for the Blind in India(CABI) said “Cricket for the Blind has travelled a long way and it is CABI’s responsibility to take this game to the cities where cricket for the blind is unheard off. I place on record the great support received from the respective State and Central governments over the years for the promotion of cricket for the Blind. Let this tournament bring the best talent.”

The president of CABI, Buse Gowda addressed the gathering with the details of the tournament and the journey of Women’s Cricket for the Blind.

"Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and Cricket Association for the Blind in India have brought so many laurels to the country. There is always a great feeling to attend all the events and Cricket for the Blind brings everyone together," said Jagadish.

Santosh Lad, said, "I was speechless and was in tears when I attended the previous event at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in Dharwad. I am a cricketer and I have represented at the various level. The vision of Dr Mahantesh G K makes me more committed to the cause of Inclusivity and promotion cricket for the Blind”.

The 16 state teams participated in the inauguration with lot enthusiasm. Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Chandigarh and Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Karnataka will simultaneously kick off the tournament on Monday. Every day in the league stage, there will be eight matches, four in the morning and the other four in the afternoon.

A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups, will engage in spirited competition for the ultimate showdown scheduled on January 12. The league stage kicks off on Monday.

The League stage will end on January 10 and the four teams qualifying for the semi-finals will battle it out for the top spot on Thursday. A total of 27 matches will be played in the tournament.

The final showdown, coinciding with National Youth Day, also known as Vivekananda Jayanti, is set for January 12, promising a fitting culmination to this remarkable tournament.

The groups for the women’s national.

Group A: Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana

Group B: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Assam

Group C: Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal

Group D: Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana