India’s victorious 2019 disabled T20 World Series team awaits BCCI’s promised cash award

India went all the way, winning the title by defeating hosts England by 36 runs in the final. The wait for the cash award of Rs 65 lakh promised by BCCI though continues.

Punjab pacer Gurjant Singh, son of a security guard, thought winning the inaugural T20 Physical Disability Cricket World Series, organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board in August last year, would change his fortunes. A win at the world stage would put the neglected disabled cricket in the limelight as it was the first time that all teams participating in the world series had the backing of their respective cricket boards. That included the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which justified the optimism.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah pose with the display prize money cheque for India’s disabled cricket team, which won the T20 world series in England in August last year. (HT Photo)

India went all the way, winning the title by defeating hosts England by 36 runs in the final. The wait for the cash award of Rs 65 lakh promised by BCCI though continues.

They approached BCCI several times and the world’s richest cricket board acknowledged their feat six months after the triumph. On March 4, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly handed over a dummy cheque for the promised sum, posing with the India disabled cricket team (Indian Divyang Cricket Team) skipper Vikrant Keni and squad member Gurudas Raut at the BCCI Mumbai headquarters. It meant the money was on its way.

Almost two months on, the players are restless as they wait for the money to be released by BCCI.

“We won the title in August and in the first week of March, BCCI announced the cash award of Rs 65 lakh and even presented the (dummy) cheque. Till date we haven’t got the money. I have spoken to the officials who accompanied us to England a couple of times, but they are also clueless. They have assured us they will talk to BCCI in the coming days,” said Gurjant, 25, who hails from Kang village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district.

“Physically challenged cricket is yet to gain prominence in the country, so getting a job because of this sport is a distant dream. Even after the world series win, things haven’t changed much for us. I am still without a job; in the absence of a regular income I thought the prize money would help me. Now in lockdown, things are really going tough for my family. I did not sit for my BA final year exams because of the England trip. Hope our sacrifices would be acknowledged soon,” said Gurjant. The fan of England pacer James Anderson was born with a club hand.

Wasim Iqbal, 26, from Jammu and Kashmir, hit a crucial 69 off 43 balls in the semi-final win over Pakistan, but hasn’t got any reward even from the union territory administration. “I haven’t got the promised cash award from BCCI. Hope they release the money soon. It is not just about the money, it is about the respect we too brought by making the country proud,” said Wasim, who hails from Anantnag district, a hotbed of militancy. The opening batsman has a stiff right knee.

“I have written to the BCCI president twice, the latest on Friday, requesting him to release the prize money for the Indian Divyang Cricket Team that won the world series,” said Ravi Chauhan, secretary general of the All India Cricket Association for the Physically Challenged who was chief-de-mission for the tournament.

“We are grateful to BCCI for honouring our winning team members with Rs 65 lakh; hope the money will be credited to the players’ accounts soon,’ he added.

When contacted, BCCI General Manager, Saba Karim, said, the money was being transferred. “As you know, we are all in lockdown. The funds have already been released and they should get it soon,” he said.

(Inputs by Rasesh Mandani)