India beat Nepal by eight runs in the first of the five-match Womens T20 Bilateral Series for the Blind at Police Gymkhana Cricket Ground in Mumbai today. Odisha allrounder Phula Soren was awarded as the Player of the Match.

Four players from Odisha are representing the 17-member Indian Women team for the Blind. They are: Padmini Tudu, Basanti Hansda, Phula Saren and Jhili Birua.

According to Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) Chairman Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, Indian women team toured Nepal in April this year and suffered a 1-3 series loss,

INDIAN WOMEN CRICKET TEAM FOR THE BLIND:
B1 Category: Varsha U (Karnataka), Valasanaini Ravanni, Killaka Sandhya (both Andhra Pradesh), Simu Das (Rajasthan), Padmini Tudu (Odisha), Priya (Madhya Pradesh).
B2 Category: Sandra Davis Karimalikkal (Kerala), Basanti Hansda (Odisha), Simranjeet Kaur (Rajasthan), Sunita Sarathe, Sushma Patel (both Madhya Pradesh).
B3 Category: M Satyavathi (Andhra Pradesh), Phula Saren, Jhili Birua (both Odisha), Ganga Sambhaji Kadam (Maharashtra), Geetha Mahato (Jharkhand), Kavya NR (Karnataka).

RESULTS:
11 December (1st T20): India 194/4 in 20 overs (Sushma Patel 41, Valasanaini Ravanni 38, Phula Soren 28, Sunita Srathe 25) beat Nepal 186/4 in 20 overs (Binita Pun 92, Mankeshi Chaudhary 36, Srijana Pariyar 30; Phula Soren 1/24) by eight runs. PoM: Phula Soren (India).
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PHOTO: Undated file picture of visually impaired women cricketers of Odisha, Padmini Tudu, Basanti Hansda, Phula Soren and Jhili Birua.