Inauguration of the 7th IDCA Women T-10 National Cricket Championship for Deaf 2026
Championship Launch in Gurugram
The 7th IDCA Women T-10 National Cricket Championship for Deaf 2026 commenced in Gurugram on March 23rd, featuring nine teams vying for the national title. The event was inaugurated with a vibrant ceremony, attended by Gaurav Gautam, the Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs in Haryana, who served as the Chief Guest, alongside Ajay Gaur, a Senior Leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Faridabad, Haryana, who was the Guest of Honour.
Encouraging Deaf Women Cricketers
During the opening ceremony, Sumit Jain, President of the IDCA, expressed his gratitude, stating, "It is a privilege to have Shri Gaurav Gautam and Shri Ajay Gaur with us in Gurgaon for the commencement of the IDCA Women T-10 National Cricket Championship for Deaf. Their presence inspires all participating players to excel and encourages deaf cricketers across India, particularly young women, to pursue sports and cricket."
IDCA CEO Roma Balwani echoed these sentiments, emphasizing, "This championship is dedicated to honoring our deaf women cricketers who exemplify resilience and determination, proving that cricket transcends gender and hearing abilities. I would also like to extend my appreciation to our generous sponsors, including the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, KFC India, Hero MotoCorp Limited, and others, for their invaluable support in providing a platform for differently-abled cricketers to shine nationally."
Tournament Schedule and Structure
The Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA), in collaboration with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and recognized by the Deaf International Cricket Council and Asian Deaf Cricket Association, is organizing this championship.
The tournament began on March 23rd with the opening match between the host team Haryana and Chandigarh, followed by matches featuring Kerala against Andhra Pradesh, Telangana versus Delhi, and Maharashtra against Kerala. The pool stage matches will run from March 23rd to March 26th, culminating in the semi-finals and final scheduled for March 27th, 2026.