The Sri Lankan team led by 18-year-old Chandana Kumara, who is blind since birth, is confident that it will bring home the World Cup. The tournament has been organised by the World Blind Cricket Association and the Association of Cricket for the Blind in India. Seven Test-playing nations including Pakistan, England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and India will participate in the tournament. The matches will be held in New Delhi between Nov 17 and 28.

The Sri Lankan team consists of players with different degrees of visual handicap. There are those who are totally blind, those who are partially blind and others who are partially sighted.

But, it is obvious that their handicap does not inhibit their enthusiasm for the game. Inspired by the success of the national cricket team which won the World Cup two years ago, these players have practised hard to win the first ever World Cup for the Blind.

A student of the 12th grade at a local school for the blind, Chandana Kumara, said he has complete confidence in his team. He started playing cricket a few years ago and excelled in the game to become captain of the Sri Lankan side.

``I feel that cricket is a very popular game and I like playing it. We became interested in cricket after Sri Lanka won the World Cup. I am confident that our team will win because it is very strong,'' he told Dawn.

At 34, Kumudulal Samarasinghe is the oldest member and vice-captain of the team. A teacher at a school for the blind, he is totally blind. ``I am a graduate teacher at the School for the Blind in Ratmalana. I am in charge of cricket in the school. I am proud to say that 12 members of this team are from my school and we have been practising a lot,'' he said.

Among the more talented of the team is Krishanta Bandara, who recently won several medals at the Multi-Disability Championships held in Australia.

``I won two golds, four silver and three bronzes in athletics. I am confident that we will win the World Cup this time,'' Bandara said. While the enthusiasm of these players is infectious, sports for the disabled is yet to draw the attention of the public in a big way, both at the international level as well as locally. Only a small crowd of organisers and the families of these players had turned up to watch the practice matches.

As the organisers learnt, financing such events for the disabled is an uphill task. Sponsors are few and far between. Sqn. Ldr. Cyril Siriwardene, from the National Federation of Sports for the Disabled said the organisers had to struggle to find the money to take the team to India.

``We had to find enough money to send them to India and also to get their clothing, shoes etc., We had requested a few big companies who are supporting sports to help us. Unfortunately, not many responded to our request,'' he said.

The participation of the Sri Lankan team was finally made possible because of the intervention of the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, who sanction money from the president's fund.

Contributions also came in from the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, the National Trust for the Blind and some philanthropists. ``We are happy that all these came forward and helped us to send the team across so that our blind cricketers will get the opportunity to participate in the World Cup,'' Sqn. Ldr. Siriwardene said.