- Advertisement -
RAWALPINDI, May 18 (APP):Zeeshan Abbasi, former captain of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Team and recipient of the Pride of Performance Award, said that despite the Pakistan Blind Cricket Team’s remarkable achievements, they have not received the recognition they deserve.
Currently ranked No. 1 in the world, the team still struggles with a lack of sponsorship and media coverage.
In an exclusive talk with APP, Abbasi highlighted the disparity between mainstream cricket and blind cricket, noting that while normal cricket enjoys substantial government and private support, blind cricket lacks the same facilities.
Reflecting on the early days of blind cricket, Abbasi shared that due to limited resources, players had to buy their own equipment, pay for ground fees, and even basic facilities like pick-and-drop services were unavailable.
“However, the situation has improved now, with grassroots-level players receiving better support, and opportunities being provided at school, college, and club levels”, he added.
It is interesting to note that Abbasi began his domestic cricket in 1998, and joined the national team in 2000.
He was elected vice-captain of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Team from 2002 to 2006, during which Pakistan won the two Blind World Cups in 2002 and 2006. Later, he captained the team from 2011 to 2016, leading Pakistan to two World Cup finals, where they finished as runners-up both times.
Abbasi mentioned that he remained among the world’s top blind bowlers until 2018, winning the Best Bowler award in four World Cups. In recognition of his outstanding performance, the Government of Pakistan honored him with the Pride of Performance Award in 2013.
To a question, he recalled a historic match during the 2012 Blind World Cup against India. Abbasi said Pakistan defeated India on their home ground. After the match, the Pakistani team took a victory lap around the ground holding the national flag and chanting “Pakistan Zindabad.”
He said that the match also saw an unfortunate incident when, in frustration, the Indian team threw a bottle at him. Fortunately, he remained unharmed, but the incident received significant media coverage.
He gave special mention to his coaches, including Muhammad Naeem , who provided unwavering support during tough times and helped refine the players’ skills. Abbasi is now serving as a coach at the national level, mentoring young players and sharing his expertise and experience.