-Chandigarh, Feb 1, 2025: The T 10 Interstate Wheelchair Cricket Tournament – being organised by The Women and Child Care Welfare Foundation (WCCWF), a leading Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO), in collaboration with Institute of Development and Communication (IDC) Chandigarh and Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Mohali has kicked-off at Cricket Ground of GSSS, Sector 26 today.
The first day saw four matches being played – Delhi Vs Punjab, Chandigarh Vs Rajasthan, Delhi Vs Chandigarh and Rajasthan Vs Punjab. The 1st match was played between Delhi and Punjab. Delhi scored 101/8 in 10 overs. Punjab scored 105/1 in 9.1 overs and won the match by 9 wickets. Ranjit from Punjab scored 37 runs, while Prashant from the losing team remained unbeaten on 50. Rajan from Punjab who gave a scintillating display as a bowler was adjudged man of the match. In his spell of 2 overs he gave 22 runs and took 3 wickets.
The 2nd match was played between Rajasthan & Chandigarh. While Rajasthan scored 89 for the loss of 3 wickets, Chandigarh scored 95 runs without loss and won the match by 10 wickets. Bharat Panwar from Rajasthan made 24 runs while Sukhwant from Chandigarh remained unbeaten on 45. Sukhwant was declared the Man of the Match.
The 3rd Match was played between Chandigarh and Delhi. While Chandigarh scored 125 for the loss of 8 wickets, Delhi scored 126 for 4 to win the match by 6 wickets. Veer Singh Sandhu from Chandigarh made 53 runs and Sonu Gupta from Delhi 60. Saurabh Malik from Delhi took 2 wickets and Sandeep Kundu from Chandigarh also took 2 wickets. Delhi’s Sonu Gupta was named Man of the Match.
The 4th Match Punjab vs Rajasthan saw Rajasthan scoring 106/3 and Punjab beating Rajasthan by putting up 110/3 on the scoreboard in 9 overs. This made Punjab win by 7 wickets. Vishvendra from Rajasthan made 45 runs while Rohit Anothra from Punjab remained 73 not out. Rohit was declared Man of the Match.
The Chief Guest of the event was Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor, Chandigarh, and Guests of Honour were Yograj Singh, actor and former Cricketer; Dalip Sharma, Councillor, Sector 26, Chandigarh; B S Sandhu, former DGP Haryana; Dr BC Gupta, IAS (Retd); Daksh Prem Azad , Apex Member, PCA; Dr Ajeet Sidana, Assistant Director, Government Rehabilitation Institute for Intellectual Disabilities (GRIID), and Sandeep Passi, MD, Intersoft Data Labs Solutions.
The opening ceremony saw the lighting of the lamp. Nearly 125 specially-abled children came to watch the wheelchair cricketers in action. The children who came to watch the action were from GRIID, Sec 31, Chandigarh; Pingalwara, Sec 55; Umeed Asha Kiran Air Force Station , Sec 31, Chandigarh; Sadhna Vocational Training Institute, Manimajra; Asha Kiran, Sec 46 and Snehalaya, Maloya.
Kamaljeet Singh, General Secretary, WCCWF, said: “We are committed to empowering underprivileged communities, and we seek to break barriers and empower differently-abled cricketers through this tournament. The wheelchair cricket tournament wil see 7 matches being played over two days and the final match will be played on Feb 2 at 1 pm, this will be followed by the prize distribution ceremony.”
Jasbeer Kaur, President, WCCWF said, “We request members of the public to come in large numbers to watch the talented differently abled cricketers in action in tomorrow’s matches including the final.”
The organisations supporting the tournament include Intersoft, Shrishti Technologies & Coca Cola. Fortis Hospital Mohali is the healthcare partner and Capital 90.8 FM, the radio partner. The tourney is also being supported by Chandigarh Administration, UT Sports Department and Indian Red Cross Society, Punjab. The mega sporting event will conclude on February 2.
