24 years later, the members of the Indian Divyang cricket team recreated Sourav Ganguly’s t-shirt waving celebration at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground balcony. For Ganguly, it was revenge for what Andrew Flintoff had done at the Wankhede Stadium after England won the ODI to level the series 3-3. For Divyang cricketers, it was a celebration of resilience and historic achievement following their win over England at the Home of Cricket. DDCA Director Shyam Sunder Sharma, who has been associated with the Divyang cricket team for two decades, was present with the team at the England Cricket Board’s invitation. An elated Sharma applauded the players as they recreated Ganguly’s celebration. Sharma has been with the team through its highs and lows.

Speaking to Sports Now, Sharma, who is also associated with the blind cricket team, revealed that DDCA was the first state association to form a committee for the physically challenged. The association doesn’t leave any stone unturned to promote Divyang cricket. DDCA President Rohan Jaitley, along with the apex council members, arranged for the players’ stay in England.

“I have been associated with the Divyang cricket team for a very long time. I have been working for 20 years, for normal cricket as well as for people with disabilities. I have also been closely associated with blind cricket. After Jay Shah ji formed a committee, a committee for the disabled, their cricket suddenly started flourishing,” Sharma told Sports Now.

“Rohan Jaitley ji then formed a committee here in DDCA, which was the first state that formed a committee for the physically challenged, for the disabled. So our association started from there, and wherever we get a chance, we try to promote them. Even now, when they were going to England, Rohan ji and our Apex Council made arrangements for their stay. And even now, when the England team comes here in February, Rohan ji and our Apex Council took the decision that we will host two matches in Delhi, and we will take care of all their expenses,” he added.

Like DDCA, other state associations are also doing their bit for the improvement of Divyang cricket. The initiative has been financially rewarding and has generated 10,000 jobs.

“Uttar Pradesh also does it, Hyderabad and Karnataka do a lot. I have seen that Karnataka gave land to the Blind Cricket Association over there to build a stadium. So the blind cricket team has progressed a lot; they have employed 10,000 people. These people need someone to stand by them so that they get promoted. You have to consider them on par with other cricket teams. And they are performing very well,” a proud Sharma revealed.

Apart from the financial help, there are few others challenges associated with the Divyang cricket team. Associations have to make ramps for players and special arrangements have to be made for the players.

Sharma rued the lack of sponsors and called for business houses to come forward and promote the disabled team. The England Cricket Board (ECB) bore all the expenses of the recently-concluded series. The home team won the seven-match series 4-3.

“Sponsors are not coming forward as much right now, in the proportion they should. Like the England Cricket Board called them and bore all the expenses themselves. I want big business houses to come forward and promote these disabled teams—whether physically challenged, wheelchair, deaf-mute, or blind. Promote them and sponsor/adopt them, just like Odisha took over hockey entirely,” a hopeful Sharma said.

Sharma took it upon himself to ensure that the U15 girls’ cricket team was rewarded for its effort. For Sharma, an eminent lawyer, it wasn’t just about money but also about encouraging the young players.

“At an individual level, I have been at it for a long time. For example, when our Under-15 girls’ blind team came back after winning, I took them to the High Court. At that time, I was an executive member at the High Court. Our entire Executive Committee gave them ₹20 lakh in prize money. That was not a question of money; it feels good these children – every kid in the team got ₹1 lakh each. It encouraged them,” said Sharma.

“I want big corporate houses to come forward with similar encouragement. If they come back winning the World Cup, someone should reward them….now they went to England and won three matches, they won at Lord’s. If someone gives them ₹1 crore, their expenses will be covered, their living expenses will be met, facilities will improve, and they can focus on playing cricket ahead. Right now, on one hand, they focus on cricket, and on the other hand, they focus on jobs, because they have to run their households too.”

The Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) is the entity responsible for conducting selection trials and overseeing the selection process. They just need financial stability, as per Sharma. The DDCA Director hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for motivating the players and coining the term ‘Divyang’ for physically challenged people.

“They have their own separate associations, and even when they go for mixed events, they have a joint board – a full committee of theirs. Just like the selection for the Indian team happens, their selection happens the same way. They check at the state level, then after the state level, who will play at the national level is checked. After that, when they are leaving for a series, they hold trial matches; whoever performs there gets selected. And they have very good coaches also like our Dev Dutt ji, he is working on it all the time. Our Mandeep Singh ji, he also puts in a lot of effort. So their coaches are also good. They just need financial stability now, they need motivation,” Sharma revealed.

“Like our Prime Minister motivated them so much, he named them ‘Divyang’. Earlier everyone used to say ‘apahij’ (handicapped), physically challenged, ‘viklang’ (disabled). It used to be written ‘viklang’ on every bathroom, it felt so bad. Now look, ‘Divyang’ – where a limb is divine. That is a new name coined, so it feels good.”

Sharma is touched by the stories and journeys of every player he has worked with over the past 20 years. “All their stories touch my heart. If you and I just close our eyes for 5 minutes and think how the world comes to an end if we try to walk inside our own home with our eyes closed. So how difficult it is, how much struggle there is, how mentally strong these people must be. I think about this so much… I mean, how can one story touch my heart? They all touch my heart. When you see someone with one hand, or someone with a problem in their leg, despite that they are running to make run-outs, bowling so well, it feels very good. Standing in the Lord’s balcony and watching them – it reminded me of Sourav Ganguly’s time back then,” an emotional Sharma said.

The BCCI has played a huge role in helping the Divyang cricket team. In 2021, the BCCI recognised the DCCI as the official body which promotes cricket among physically challenged, deaf, mute, blind and wheelchair participants. “BCCI has a huge role in this,” Sharma revealed.

“Ever since Jay Shah ji formed the committee, they are ready at all times to help them. They promoted them a lot. For all four categories of physically challenged players – wheelchair, blind, etc. They made a committee, are giving all facilities, there is motivation, they took them under their wing. Just the name that it is BCCI-affiliated is enough, which is why the English Cricket Board invited them and why they are getting all these facilities. But now sponsors will have to step forward themselves. There are many people supporting them right now—Rohan Jaitley ji is there, Meenakshi Lekhi ji is there, Anurag Thakur ji is always ready to support them whenever I see. Having met them once or twice, I see there is a soft corner among everyone, and people want their cricket to move forward. The way women’s cricket has progressed, our disability team should progress the same way,” Sharma concluded.