29, Dec 2023
Chandigarh Lions and Silent Heroes crowned winners at the 8th Usha Divyang Cricket League 2023

Chandigarh, 29th December 2023: The 8th Usha Divyang Cricket League concluded at Sector 16 Stadium in the presence of Chief Guests – Shri Raj Kumar Singh IPS, Inspector General of Police, Chandigarh; Shri Kamaljit Singh Hayre, Patron, Deaf Cricket Federation; Dr. Sunil Rayat, Joint Director, Sports Department, UT Chandigarh and a supportive audience. Silent Heroes won the finals against Roaring Lions by 8 runs in the Hearing-Impaired category, in 20 overs. In the Wheelchair category, the match was between Chandigarh Lions and Super Fighters, where Super Fighters decided to field, and Chandigarh Lions won.

Team Chandigarh Lions emerged as winners for the Wheelchair category at Usha DICL event 2023

Sponsored by Usha International in association with All India Cricket Association for the Deaf (AICAD) and Deaf Cricket Federation of Punjab, the 3-day league saw participation from 128 differently abled cricketers including players from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

Team Silent Heroes emerged as winners for the Hearing-Impaired category at Usha DICL event 2023

Category

Winner Team

Cash Prize- 1 Lakh

Runners Up

Cash Prize- 50K

Match of Match
Wheelchair Chandigarh Lions Super Fighters Veer Singh Sandhu
Hearing Impaired Silent Heroes Roaring Lions Hilal Khan

Player of the Tournament

Ranjitha Asanka, Sri Lanka

The tournament was also supported by the Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA), State Bank of India (SBI), as well as Sports Department of Chandigarh. Six teams of deaf cricketers – Silent Heroes, Deaf Warriors, Enabled Fighters Challengers XI, Punjab Tigers, Roaring Lions, Super Fighters, and Chandigarh Lions, and two wheelchair teams – Super Fighters and Chandigarh Lions participated in the 8th Usha Divyang Cricket League. Match fees were provided for all the players as an incentive to encourage continued participation.

After the finals, Komal Mehra, Head – Sports Initiatives and Associations at Usha International said, “Another year of the Divyang India Cricket League has once again brought to light the remarkable talent and unyielding spirit of its players. This event isn’t just a showcase of sporting excellence, but also a celebration of active and healthy living, which we at Usha ardently support. Through this league, we’ve seen how collective efforts to champion inclusivity within sports can transform and nurture a resilient community.