New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Durga Rao Tompaki will lead a 17-member visually challenged Indian cricket team that was given

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Durga Rao Tompaki will lead a 17-member visually challenged Indian cricket team that was given

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Durga Rao Tompaki will lead a 17-member visually challenged Indian cricket team that was given

     New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Durga Rao Tompaki will lead a 17-member visually challenged Indian cricket team that was given a send-off here on Thursday ahead of the Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Dhaka from November 15 to 20.

     The BCCI has extended its support to the team by sponsoring round-trip air tickets from New Delhi to Dhaka.

     "We believe that cricket should provide opportunities for everyone to participate and excel," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, wishing the team success.

     The squad includes players from Gujarat, Delhi, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka.

     India will open their campaign against Sri Lanka on November 15 before taking on Pakistan on November 17. They will face hosts Bangladesh on November 19. The final is scheduled for November 20.

     India, who won the title a decade ago, will be looking to reclaim the trophy.

     The send-off event was organised by the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), in association with Samarthanam Trust and its corporate partner CBRE.

     CBRE, through its CSR initiative Ek Pehal, has supported the team''s preparations, including player selection, professional coaching, nutrition, fitness, physiotherapy, travel arrangements and the provision of cricket equipment.

     Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO, India, South-East Asia & MENA, CBRE, said,

"Sport has the power to create opportunities, challenge perceptions and bring communities together. Through Ek Pehal and our partnership with Samarthanam and CABI, CBRE is committed to supporting India’s men’s and women’s blind cricket teams at every stage of their preparation."

     "Our support covers player selection, nutrition, travel, professional training, health and physiotherapy and essential kits. We believe that giving athletes the right resources and support is essential to helping them perform at the highest level and earn the recognition they deserve. We are proud to back the team as they head to the Asia Cup 2026," Magazine added.

     Squad: Durga Rao Tompaki (captain), Sunil Ramesh (vice-captain), Naresh Tumda, Sanjay Kumar Shah, Debaraj Behera, Ashok Reddy, Praveen Kumar Sharma, Mukesh Kumar Rawat, Dunna Venkateshwararao, Rambir Singh, Lokesha, Manish Kumar, Nakula Badanayak, Sukhram Majhi, A Ravi (wicketkeeper), Dinesh Rathva and Deepak.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)