Bangladesh had to stop just short of glory, falling in the final of the Blind T20 World Cup. The dream of lifting the trophy slipped away for Bangladesh’s visually impaired cricket team.
In the final held at Multan Cricket Stadium today, hosts Pakistan defeated Arif and Ashikur’s team by 10 wickets to claim their maiden championship title.
Batting first, Bangladesh posted 139 for 7. In response, Pakistan’s openers unleashed a dominant performance, chasing down the target in just 11.2 overs. For Bangladesh, Arif Hossain top-scored with 54 runs, while Salman contributed 31 and Ashikur added 22. Pakistan’s Babar Ali was the standout bowler in the final, taking 2 wickets, while Mohammad Salman and Matiullah chipped in with one wicket each to restrict Bangladesh.
In the chase, Pakistan’s openers Nisar Ali (72*) and Mohammad Safdar (47*) remained unbeaten, sealing a commanding victory.
This marks Bangladesh’s second consecutive runner-up finish in the Blind T20 World Cup. In the 2022 final, they lost to India. For Pakistan, this was their third appearance in the final, but the first time they emerged as champions.
Up until the final, Bangladesh had been the only unbeaten team in the tournament. They secured five consecutive wins against Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and South Africa to reach the semifinals. In the semifinals, they edged past Sri Lanka by 6 runs to book their spot in the final. However, they fell short today.
India remains the most successful team in the history of the Blind T20 World Cup, having completed a hat-trick of titles in 2012, 2017, and 2022. India, the pre-tournament favorites this year, withdrew from the competition just four days before it began due to the tournament being hosted in Pakistan.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh: 139/7 in 20 overs
Pakistan: 140/0 in 11.2 overs
Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
