Guyanese cricketers excel at World Blind T20 championship in India

Feb 25, 2017 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed
The World Blind T20 cricket championship recently concluded in India with the host nation taking the title after defeating Pakistan in the final which was played at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

The Guyanese from left Kevin Douglas, Leroy Phillips and Ganesh Narine.

The West Indies finished sixth out of the ten-team round robin tournament which commenced on January 29 and concluded on February 12.
The West Indies team, which included three Guyanese, registered victories over South Africa, Nepal and New Zealand. The Guyanese players on the team were Kevin Douglas who captained the side after the first game, Ganesh Singh and Leroy Phillips.
Speaking with the media yesterday at the Guyana Society for the Blind in High Street, Douglas who was the leading run scorer for the West Indies with his best being 169 versus New Zealand, said the tournament was a learning experience and he relished the opportunity to play at international venues there. Douglas who falls in the B3 category (partially blind) stated that he was pleased with the performance of the team even though they had little preparation.
Singh told the media that it was a life changing experience. “For a player with some disability to go there and receive the type of hospitality is an unforgettable experience”, he stated. Singh, who said that the West Indies could have done a lot better if they had more time to prepare, spoke highly of the organisers and informed that the West Indies team was well supported there.
He related that all the West Indies players met in India where they did some practice prior to the tournament and the team improved as the tournament progressed. He lauded his fellow Guyanese for their showing, adding that they were the backbone of the team. “Douglas carried the batting with two centuries and two half centuries, while Phillips, who opened the batting with Douglas, scored the most runs in his category (B 1 totally blind) over 200 runs in aggregate with a best of 76.
Singh, who was one of the leading bowlers for the Regional side with six wickets, expressed gratitude to Kares Engineering, National Sports Commission, Guyana Cricket Board and other sponsors who have helped them on their trip.
Singh, who is a B1 player, informed that the Guyana Blind Cricket Association in collaboration with the South Georgetown Lions Club, will be staging a six-a-side tournament tomorrow at the Malteenoes SC which will serve as preparation for the Regional tournament set for Guyana in August.
Phillips said he was happy with his batting and was pleased to lend support to his Captain Kevin Douglas.

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