Indian team gets grand send off for Physically Disabled Champions Trophy

New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI): The Indian cricket team for the Physically Disabled (PD) Champions Trophy 2025 in Sri Lanka received an empowering send-off on Tuesday in New Delhi.

The PD Champions Trophy 2025 begins on January 12, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The tournament will feature four competing teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England.

Tuesday's send-off ceremony, held under the banner of #AbJunoonJitega, was a celebration of the team's resilience and a testament to the growing support for differently-abled athletes.

Ravi Kant Chauhan, Secretary General of the Differently-Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) wished the team well. "The players have worked tirelessly to reach this stage, and their dedication is unmatched. I am certain they will leave a lasting mark on the global stage and the entire nation is rooting for their success."

Led by captain Vikrant Ravindra Keni, the Indian team is set to open its campaign with a high-stakes match against arch-rival Pakistan on January 12.

Captained by Vikrant Ravindra Keni, with Ravindra Gopinath Sante as vice-captain, both hailing from Mumbai, Team India includes wicketkeepers Yogender Singh from Madhya Pradesh and Devendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh.

Other key players are Akhil Reddy from Andhra Pradesh, Radhika Prasad from Uttar Pradesh, Akash Anil Patil from Mumbai, Sunny Goyat and Pawan Kumar from Haryana, Jithendra, Narendra, and Rajesh from Karnataka, Nikhil Manhas, Amir Hassan, and Majid Magray from Jammu and Kashmir, Kunal Dattatray Phanase from Maharashtra, and Surendra from Rajasthan. The reserves include Jaswant Singh from Rajasthan, Sadiq from Delhi and GS Shivashankara from Karnataka.

The team will be backed by an experienced coaching and support staff, including head coach Rohit Jhalani, strength and conditioning coach Ramswaroop Saini, assistant coach Ravindra Patil, fielding coach Rohit Sharma, video analyst Sanket Khedkar and physiotherapist Mayank Pushkar.

Sminu Jindal, founder-chairperson of a Non-profit organisation, Svayam, who is the sponsor of the PD Champions Trophy, stated, "These athletes redefine courage and perseverance. Svayam is proud to support this tournament and celebrate the spirit of inclusivity that sports bring to society."

The event has garnered significant attention under the leadership of Jay Shah, Chairperson of the International Cricket Council (ICC), who has been instrumental in driving initiatives that champion diversity and inclusivity in cricket. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)