New Delhi, Dec 26, 2024, IANS

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) has announced the 16-member squad for the upcoming International T20I tri-series and ODI Deaf cricket series. The T20I tri-series between India, South Africa and Australia will be held from March 2 to 8 in New Delhi. Following the tri-series, the Indian Deaf Cricket team will be playing a three-match ODI series with Australia from March 10 to 12. The team will be led by Virender Singh, while Sai Akash will shoulder the vice captain's responsibility. The Indian men's deaf cricket team will be undergoing extensive training and practice sessions under the expert guidance of head coach Dev Dutt and assistant coach Susheel Gupta. Head coach Dutt lauded chief selector Vinod Kumar Matta for selecting a highly competent and promising squad. He further extended gratitude to IDCA for their support in organising and hosting the series. "The Indian squad looks extremely promising. I stay optimistic that our players in the Deaf Cricket Team will deliver stellar performances to be on the top of both tournaments. The international tri-series and ODI series will be a massive platform for the Indian Deaf Cricket Team to showcase their outstanding performances on a consistent stretch. This will also be an opportunity for the players to establish the team as one of the best in the world," IDCA chief Sumit Jain said. IDCA CEO Roma Balwani, added, "I keenly look forward to witnessing competitive tournaments ahead, where players from all teams will be showcasing their exceptional talents. My fingers always stay crossed for our Indian players, who have the potential to excel and win many such tournaments.” Squad: Virender Singh (captain), Sai Akash (vice-captain), Umar Ashraf-WK, Abhishek Singh, Akash Singh, Yashwanth Naidu, Sanju Sharma, Santosh Kr. Mohapatra, Kuldeep Singh, Vivek Kumar, Sudarsun E, Krishna Gowda-WK, M. Shramith, Sibun Nanda, Ankit Jangir, Sarik Majeed.