The five-nation ICRC International T20 Cricket Tournament for people with physical disabilities will kick off at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today (Wednesday).
Country’s sports-loving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the first edition of the nine-day special cricket event at 10 am as the special guest.
State minister for Youth and Sports Biren Shikder, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan Papon and head of delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Bangladesh Christine Cipolla will be present as special guests in the inaugural ceremony.
Host Bangladesh will take on England team in the meet opener at 11 am.
The remaining matches and the prize distribution ceremony of the meet will be held at BKSP in Savar from September 3-10.
On the eve of the tournament, Bangladesh Physically Challenged Cricket Team captain Mohammad Alam Khan said, “We are hopeful to clinch the first edition title.” Alam think, this event is an opportunity for physically challenged people like him to show that they also can serve for the county like others, saying, “It’s time to show, we also can bring honour for the country.”
“People who considered us as different portion of the society, now will get space to think us as their part and parcel as well as mainstream of the society,” Alam added.
On the other hand, England team captain Iavin Nairn said, “We’ve come here to win the trophy.”
Iavin Nairn termed the tournament as fantastic opportunity to show the ability of physically challenged people to the world people. He also surprised seeing so many people here to encourage them.
The other visiting team skippers of the meet – – Dinesh Kumar (India), and Mohammad Ashraf (Afghanistan) – – also express their hope to win the title. The skippers expressed their hope at a press conference at SBNCS on Tuesday, after the unveiling sessions of the tournament trophy and jersey. All the participating teams captain thanked ICRC and other organizing partners for the arrangement of as such event for them.
Bangladesh national cricket team ODI captain cum Brand Ambassador of the tournament Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, head of delegation of the ICRC Bangladesh Christine Cipolla, Physical Rehabilitation Project Manager of ICRC Dhaka Gerd Van de Valde and BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury also spoke at the occasion.
ICRC is organising the meet, first of its kind, with the co-operation of the Youth and Sports Ministry, BCB and BKSP aiming to the social inclusion of people with physical disabilities through sports, besides ICRC’s other esteemed.
However, in their three practice matches after the three months training, Bangladesh physically challenged cricket team beat BKSP Under-15 cricket team while lost one match against BKSP Under-17 team among their two battles at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prathisthan (BKSP) ground.
Earlier, on Saturday, BCB announced a 15-member BCB Physically Challenged Cricket Team for the meet. Bangladeshi cricketers were picked through a Talent Hunt program in March last.
BCB T20 Squad: SM Shaharia Shamim, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Mohammad Amin Uddin, Mohammad Alam Khan (Captain), Apurbo Kumar Paul, Drupam Patranabish Tirtho, Mohammad Suzaul Islam, Rifat Hossain Bappy, Mohammad Rasel Sikder, Mohammad Mamunur Rashid, Mohammad Sana Ullah, Mohammad Nasim, Mohammad Jahid Hasan, Shariful Islam and Faisal Khan Shumit.
Reserve players are: Mohammad Shawon Mahmud, Sujan Debnath and Mohammad Saiful Islam Khan.
