Rohan Chowdhury, England
On a date etched in Indian cricketing folklore, when Kapil Dev’s underdogs lifted the 1983 World Cup at Lord’s, history is set to be made again — this time of a different kind. India’s mixed disability cricket team will step onto the hallowed turf of Lord’s for the first time today to take on England in the third match of the ongoing Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series.
The occasion carries emotional and symbolic weight. For the players and the sport itself, it is more than just a cricket match — it’s a statement of inclusion and progress at the highest stage of the game.
However, India will also be keen to reverse fortunes on a historic ground after suffering back-to-back defeats in the opening two matches. In the series opener at Taunton, England posted a strong 182/5, thanks to stellar knocks from C Flynn (70) and L O’Brien (64), before bundling out India for 117 to win by 65 runs. The second game at Wormsley followed a similar pattern. England again put on 182 — this time for the loss of only two wickets — while India managed 122/9 in reply, with Narendra Mangore’s 36 being the top score.
Despite the losses, India have shown flashes of fight and flair. As they take the field today at the ‘Home of Cricket’, they will be drawing on both pride and the spirit of June 25 to try and script a turnaround — on a ground where Indian cricket’s first world title dream came true.
Speaking of this match, Rohit Jhalani, the head coach, in an earlier interview with RevSportz had said: “England is the birthplace of cricket. And Lord’s is the Mecca of cricket. So playing at such venues, in such conditions, will definitely be a lot of fun for these kids. It will be a new learning experience for the mixed disability team.”
The match starts at 3:30 pm local time, which is 8 pm Indian Standard Time, and will be live on Sony LIV.
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