IDCA announces maiden T-10 Women’s Deaf Premier League: Mumbai

The inaugural T-10 Women’s Deaf Premier League will take place in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from January 8–11 of this year, according to the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA). In its first iteration, six specially-abled women’s teams from around the nation will square off on the pitch to win the coveted Premier League trophy, according to a statement released on Thursday. The Police Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Marine Lines, Mumbai, Maharashtra, will host a special opening ceremony on Monday, January 8 at 9 AM to officially begin the four-day tournament.

The Punjab Lions, UP Warriorz, Mumbai Stars, Delhi Bulls, Hyderabad Eagles, and Bangalore Badshahs are the six Deaf women’s cricket teams competing in this four-day tournament. They will play a total of 11 matches before advancing to the finals. The championship game, which is set for January 11, 2024, will pit the two top teams against one another. As stated by IDCA President Sumit Jain, “We are appreciative of Serum Institute of India, Cyrus Poonawalla Group, Nykaa, and Indo Count for their unwavering support of our initiative to assist women who are hearing impaired in our upcoming competitions in 2024. IDCA is proud of its female athletes who, in spite of their dedication to their homes and families, have excelled in the game of cricket and brought great pride to society.”

At the closing ceremony, which takes place on January 11 at 4 PM, the winning team and the players will be recognised for their outstanding performance. A reward of Rs 1,00,000 will be given to the IDCA T-10 champions, and Rs 50,000 will go to the runner-up. Cash awards will be given to the top individual athletes in various sports, including super sixes, bowling, batting, and fielding.

“The excitement of playing in Mumbai & competing in the home ground of stalwarts of cricket is truly special,” said Roma Balwani, CEO of IDCA. IDCA is a proponent of using disability sports, particularly cricket, to celebrate inclusion and diversity. We are grateful to all of our state associations and support partners for their support of our efforts to advance deaf cricket in India and around the world. In addition to being homemakers, we applaud each female player for their tenacity and perseverance in demonstrating their sportsmanship on the cricket pitch. Warm regards to every one of these incredible women who play sports for people with disabilities.”