Triumph in Cuttack! India’s hearing-impaired cricketers made waves by securing the inaugural ADCA T20 Asia Cup 2026, beating Sri Lanka by six wickets in a pulsating final at Barabati Stadium.
Opting to field, India restricted Sri Lanka to 144/7. The chase was masterful—target overhauled in 19.5 overs with wickets to spare, underlining their depth and determination.
The tournament unfolded with high drama. India began with a four-wicket scrap win over Sri Lanka, followed by a 10-wicket rout of Nepal. Sri Lanka avenged with six-wicket and 157-run wins against Nepal. India then snatched a one-run thriller from Sri Lanka and a nine-wicket breeze over Nepal to reach the final.
All-round maestro Sai Akash dazzled in the final with 27 runs from 14 balls and two wickets, rightfully bagging Player of the Match.
Gimadu EL Malcolm of Sri Lanka was the series sensation, scoring 196 runs, taking seven wickets, and winning Best Batter and Player of the Series. Teammate Gihan Lasidu D’Silva’s 10 wickets earned him Best Bowler honors.
Sumit Jain, ADCA President, beamed with pride: ‘Hosting this pioneering event at Barabati Stadium is a proud chapter. It embodies our pledge to foster cricket among Asia’s deaf athletes. Well done, everyone!’ He anticipates more such tournaments and profusely thanked supporting bodies ODCA and OCA.
This edition not only crowns India but ignites hope for greater inclusivity in cricket worldwide.