NEW DELHI, Dec 17: India won the Blind cricket T20 World Cup for the third consecutive time on Saturday by thrashing Bangladesh by 120 runs in the final riding on brilliant centuries from captain Ajay Kumar Reddy and Sunil Ramesh. Ramesh smashed 136 off 63 balls with the help of 24 boundaries and one six, while Reddy struck 100 off 50 balls (18X4).
The duo put on a 248-run unbeaten partnership for the third wicket to take them to a mammoth 277 for two in 20 overs after opting to bat. Chasing the huge target, Bangladesh could only score 157 for 3 in 20 overs. Salman top-scored for Bangladesh with 77 not out.
Champions India, who remained unbeaten in the tournament, got Rs. 3 lakh for the title, while Bangladesh received Rs 1.5 lakh. Bangladesh rocked India top order with Salman giving a double blow in the fourth over. He removed Venkareswara with the score reading just 28. India suffered another blow in the same over as Salman castled Lalit Meena’s to reduce India to 29/2.
Thereafter it was all about Ramesh and Reddy’s show as they took on the Bangladesh bowling attack. Reddy got a reprieve while batting at 40 when he was dropped in the deep. Ramesh got to his hundred, his third of the tournament, with a boundary while Reddy reached his milestone in the final over of the innings.
(Manas Dasgupta)
