All you need to know about Blind Cricket

On Sunday (December 7), India defeated Pakistan to win the Blind Cricket World Cup 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa.

It was for the first time India had won the big prize. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and several others congratulated the team.

While most of the rules associated with the sport remain same, there are some changes done for blind cricket.

Here is all you need to know about Cricket for the Blind

The World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) frames the rules. According to WBCC, here is how Cricket for the Blind is played

The Players

B1 (Totally blind players)
B2 (Partially blind)
B3 (Partially sighted players)

Team composition (11 players)

A minimum of 4 B1 players
3 of B2 players
A maximum of 4 B3 players

Runners for batsmen

B1 shall have a runner
B2 has the option of a runner
Batsman who has opted for a runner cannot act as a runner for another batsman
A "one bounce" catch by a B1 player will result in the batsman being given out

Sight classification

B1 - No light perception in either eye up to light perception, but inability to recognise
shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction
B2 - From ability to recognise the shape of the hand up to a visual acuity of 2/60 or
visual field of less than five degrees in the better eye after correction
B3 - From visual acuity above 2/60 up to visual acuity of 6/60 or a visual field of less that 20 degrees in better eye after correction.

Identifying classification of the players on the field

B1 players will be distinguished on the field of play by a white wrist band to be worn on the right wrist or by one white stripe on the right upper arm of the playing shirt.
B2 players will be distinguished on the field of play by a red wrist band to be worn on the right wrist or by two white stripes on the right upper arm of the playing shirt.
B3 players will be distinguished on the field of play by a blue wrist band to be worn on the right wrist or by three white stripes on the right upper arm of the playing shirt.

Bowling

The bowling has to underarm. At the point of delivery the arm has to be below the shoulder. Failure of this will result in a no ball being called.
The delivery is required to pitch at least twice when bowled to a batsman, but must not be rolling.

How they play

The bowler has to say "ready?" to the batsman when he is set to bowl. To which the batsman has to respond by calling out "yes". At the point of delivery the bowler must say "play". Failure to do so will result in a no ball being called.
A noball will also be called if the call of "play", is in the opinion of the umpire, early or late.

The Ball

The ball is considerably larger than the standard cricket ball and filled with ball bearings. The audible ball helps the player to sense the direction of the ball and play the game.

The Stumps

Wooden stumps or plastic, if the match is being played on an artificial surface. The colour of the stumps shall be fluorescent orange or yellow. No bails used.

The Bat