IMAGE: The Indian blind cricket team celebrate winning a match during the Twenty20 World Cup. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
The Indian blind cricket team successfully defended its Twenty20 World Cup title after outclassing arch-rivals Pakistan in the final, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
With eight wins from nine matches, India had gone into the final as favourites and lived up to its top billing with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory.
The two teams had clashed in the final of the 2012 edition as well with India emerging triumphant.
The victory was also a sweet revenge for the Indians, who had lost to Pakistan
in the league stage of the current tournament.
Batting first, Pakistan posted a healthy 197 for nine but India chased down the target in 18 overs without much of a fuss, losing just one wicket in the process.
Man of the match Prakash Jayaramaiah stood out with a splendid unbeaten 99-run knock, while Ajay Kumar Reddy was the only man to be dismissed for 43 when he fell run out.
Ketan Patel and Jaffar Iqbal were the pick of the Indian bowlers, grabbing two wickets each, having conceding 29 and 33 runs respectively.