Indian Wheelchair Cricket Team Faces Affiliation and Identity Crisis

Cricket, a sport that has created many living gods, is now changing lives of wheelchair-bound persons in India. However, these budding sportsmen are being forced to run from pillar to post for affiliation, identity and aid since 2012.

Wheelchair Cricket India Association (WCIA), which has been nurturing wheelchair cricket in the country, recently won a tri-series played between India and Bangladesh in Dhaka by 2-0. The series took place earlier this month between May 4 and 8. This is the first time when Indian wheelchair cricket team has accomplished a victory on the foreign soil.

Moreover, the association had also organised first international bilateral wheelchair cricket series last year in Delhi – again, played between India and Bangladesh. India, however, had lost the series by 3-0.

The association also plans to organise first ‘Wheelchair Cricket Asia Cup 2018’ in India, where wheelchair cricket teams of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan are likely to participate. However, the association is doing it all on its own, without any financial aid, support, and affiliation from the government, sports ministry, BCCI, ICC and well-known players.  Countless letters sent by the association to them have yielded no response.

The association claims that the blind cricket, disabled cricket, deaf cricket  teams are receiving attention and support from cricket associations as well as  the government and the sports ministry. But despite several efforts, no one is coming forward to aid and support the WCIA.

General Secretary of WCIA Pradeep Raj, who is also an international para athlete, told Newsclick, “Indeed, we are facing discrimination. We have left no stone unturned to be heard by the Government of India, Prime Minister’s Office, Sports Ministry and the minister, Ministry of Social Empowerment and Justice, International Cricket Board (ICC) and Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI). We have written to even former cricketers seeking their support; however, only Sachin Tendulkar has responded and the rest has fallen on deaf ears.”

“With the support of some private schools located in Delhi and Gurugram, and small financers, we have been doing it all and plan to continue to do so as long as we can because it is a mission for us,” He added.

Vice-captain of the wheelchair cricket team Abhai Pratap Singh said, “These are just the financial and affiliation-related challenges. There are other challenges too.”

“BCCI is promoting blind cricket and has given them Rs 1.5 crore in last two years, as far as we know. It is a good thing, but they should also look the other side of the mirror, and also extend their support to the wheelchair cricket,” added Singh.

Challenges in Wheelchair Cricket

According to Singh, the basic challenges players face in playing cricket on the wheelchairs are: lack of good wheelchairs, handicapped-friendly accommodations, ground for playing and practicing and most importantly, medical support.

“We need well-equipped wheelchairs. A normal wheelchair can cost around Rs 25,000. Most of the ground owners don’t allow us to use their ground because they believe that the wheelchairs may ruin their ground. We need  disabled-friendly accommodations because our players can’t live anywhere, and we also need at last 24*7 medical facilitates,” said Singh. He also feels proud that despite all odds, the wheelchair-bound players continue to play and win accolades for the country.

“We can manage rest of the things, but financial support is the driving force we need,” he asserted.

Objective of WCIA

The main objective behind creating WCIA is to include the wheelchair-bound persons into the mainstream through a sport like cricket because cricket is as powerful as a religion in India.

WCIA is the brainchild of Pardeep Raj, who is an international para athlete and a president awardee. He founded this organisation in 2012 after returning from South Korea where he had met with Pakistan and Bangladesh wheelchair cricketers.

“The basic objective of the forming this association is put Indian wheelchair folks into mainstream, so, they don’t not feel themselves isolated. And in this small journey, we have succeeded to organise two international tournaments, one National Wheelchair Cricket Tournament held in Jan 2018, where more than 200 players participated. And we are planning to organise first International wheelchair world cup by the end of 2018,” said Raj.

“Till then, we have 16 state teams and a pool of more than 250 players. The association will fight for the affiliation, aid and right of wheelchair cricketers until our voices being heard. And we are fully prepared for it,” he added.