Keni shrugs off Indian team's disability percentage disadvantage

India's disabled cricket team at a Bandra hotel yesterday

Though India's disabled cricket team will not enjoy a level playing field in the first ever T20 Physical Disability World Series to be held in England from August 5, the Indian outfit led by Vikrant Keni is confident of conquering all odds during the tournament.

Teams like England, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are enjoying an advantage of having players in their team who have minimum 15 per cent of disability (as per the disability norms of their respective nations). However, the disability criteria for the Indian team is 40 per cent.

When mid-day asked Keni about the different set of rules for different teams, he said it won't matter and this will not be an advantage to the other teams. "I don't think this criterion of disability is an advantage to our competitors. When we enter the ground, we play to our merit and aim to overcome every obstacle. This is not an exaggeration, but our team is capable of beating any normal team too. So, I am confident of winning this inaugural T20 World Series," Keni said during the team's pre-departure press conference in Bandra yesterday.

The team's coach and former Mumbai wicketkeeper-batsman Sulakshan Kulkarni reckoned this Indian side is fearless. "These players have a lot of potential and have a fearless approach, which I think is their main asset. The hunger to beat any side in the world will help this team become world champions," Kulkarni remarked.

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