National T20 Cricket Tournament: The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) in association with the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled has announced former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif as the Brand Ambassador of the 6th edition of the Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2023-24 also known as Nagesh Trophy.As a Brand and Goodwill Ambassador Kaif aims to bat for the cause of Blind Cricket in India and highlight the unwavering strength shown by the visually impaired players. This association between Mohammad Kaif and the Nagesh Trophy is a momentous step towards promoting inclusivity and highlighting the achievements of visually impaired cricketers in India.
“I am honoured and delighted to be associated with Nagesh Trophy. Cricket for the Blind is an inspiring thought and the players’ dedication and talent deserves recognition and I support Cricket for the Blind. I look forward to contribute to the growth of cricket for the blind in India and wish to be part of their incredible journey,” said Mohammed Kaif.
The Nagesh Trophy will be held from November 23 to January 30, 2024. The League stage will be played till December 29, whereas Super 8 stage matches will be played at Nagpur, Maharashtra in January 2024.
“Nagesh Trophy is the time to celebrate the cricketing talents of Visually Impaired and I am sure the 6th edition will help us to identify the new talent to nurture them to be cricketers who will bring laurels to mother India in the future. I place on record the continuous support that we have received from IndusInd Bank in celebrating the talents of our Cricketers over the years,” said Chairman of the CABI, Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar.
28 teams are divided based on the last year’s ranking into 6 groups. The first 4 groups have 5 teams each and the last 2 teams have 4 teams each.
The 5th edition had the joint winners (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) due to the rain. Odisha has won the Nationals once while Andhra Pradesh has emerged victorious in the finals of the tournament 3 times.
The league matches of the 6th edition of the Nagesh Trophy will be played across 7 venues namely, Jammu, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kochi (Kerala), Chandigarh, Tripura, and Kota (Rajasthan).
A total of 28 Teams (State /UT’s and an Indian Railways team which is represented by the Visually Impaired working in Railways) will play the T20 format Tournament.