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The 4th IDCA Test National Cricket Championship for the Deaf, hosted by the Bengal Cricket Association of the Deaf (BCAD), concluded on Tuesday at Kolkata's Merlin Rise Cricket Ground, with the Jammu and Kashmir Deaf cricket team being crowned the champions, while the Delhi Deaf cricket team finished as the runners-up. The Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA), supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and recognised by the Deaf International Cricket Council and Asian Deaf Cricket Association, had kicked off the championship on December 18, with the semifinals being played between Delhi Deaf and Bengal Deaf, and Odisha Deaf and Jammu and Kashmir Deaf teams. The matches had taken place at Kolkata's Merlin Rise Cricket Ground and Rajasthan Club Ground. In a grand closing ceremony, chief guest Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner, East and North East, British High Commission, Kolkata, along with Guests of Honour Boria Mazumdar, Senior sports journalist, historian and writer, Satyen Sanghvi, Director. Merlin Group, Sarbani Bhattacharya, Vice-President, Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs and CSR, Merlin Group, Yusuf Sonaseth, Cricket Manager, Harvard School, Kolkata and Amit Sengupta, Head - Media and Communications, British High Commission, Kolkata, gave out trophies to the champions and awardees, with the Merlin Group sponsoring the Individual Cash Awards for the winners. Addressing the participants, Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner, East and North East, British High Commission, said, "Deaf Cricket is more than just a competition, it is a community and a statement of inclusion and a platform where talent and teamwork shine together through all barriers, the athleticism, comradery and discipline that is on display in this competition is everything about the best in sports. You (participants) remind all of us that accessibility and opportunity are not just ideals, they are values within organisations like IDCA that invest in pathways for athletes who are deaf or hard of hearing. I would also like to add that behind every statistic there is a person with talent and potential like all of you and the success of deaf athletes on the cricket field and overcoming challenges is something that can inspire many more and I hope more people would be able to have similar opportunities to what you have here today." Echoing his thoughts Boria Mazumdar, Senior sports journalist, historian and writer added "At the end of game what I saw a pure sportsmanship, when Jammu and Kashmir was celebrating, there was a vibe that every single person was together and that is what one wants to see in sports and I will add to the Delhi team that sports also teaches us how to lose, you might have lost today but tomorrow every loss will lead you to success. That is what Sports does and Jammu and Kashmir, your win is special for me because I feel every time you win India wins." A nearly week-long Test series featuring teams from Delhi, Bengal, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir came to an end on December 23rd, when the Jammu and Kashmir Deaf team was crowned champions after defeating the Delhi Deaf team by 10 wickets. Earlier in the week, the Delhi Deaf team had scored 212 runs in the first innings, followed by 222 runs in the second innings, while the Jammu and Kashmir Deaf team had scored 376 runs in the first innings, followed by 60 runs in the second innings to win the match. The IDCA 4th Test National Cricket Championship for Deaf was organised under the patronage of Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla Group, and ran from December 18 to December 23, bringing together some of India's most talented hearing-impaired cricketers from across the four states. Speaking about the championship, Sumit Jain, President, IDCA, said, "The 4th Test National Cricket Championship for the Deaf was the perfect platform for all the players to test their skills in the longer format of the game, and I congratulate the Jammu and Kashmir Deaf team for winning the championship. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, the Merlin Rise Group management, which has been our venue partner for the last three years, and Shyamsunder Barman, General Secretary, Bengal Cricket Association of the Deaf, for continuing to create a strong platform for differently-abled cricketers to shine on a national stage."
Thanking the support partners, Roma Balwani, CEO, IDCA, added, "I am really happy with the successful completion of the 4th Test National Cricket Championship and would like to congratulate all the players and members associated with the event. I would also like to thank all our partners, our aim of bringing together talented players who represent the strength of inclusivity in sports would not be possible without you. I am especially grateful to our venue partner Merlin Rise for their continued support by providing these wonderful locations over the past three years and also to EIILM - Kolkata for their volunteers, hard work and immense support over the past week." Match Highlights: Champions: Jammu and Kashmir Deaf teamRunners-up: Delhi Deaf Team Semi-Finalists: Odisha Deaf and Bengal Deaf TeamMan of the Match: Suhail AhmadMan of the Series: Suhail AhmadBest Batsman: Suhail Mohi u DinBest Bowler: Hilal Ahmad WaniBest Wicketkeeper: Abhishek Thakur. (ANI)
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