Barabati Stadium in Cuttack to Host First Deaf Cricket Asia Cup 2026
New Delhi: The ADCA T20I Asia Cup 2026, organized by the Asian Deaf Cricket Association (ADCA) in collaboration with the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA) and supported by the Odisha Deaf Cricket Association, will be held from February 19–25, 2026, at the iconic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
The tournament will feature three nations—India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal—showcasing experienced deaf cricket talent from across Asia.
Ahead of the championship, participating teams held preparatory practice sessions from February 14–16 at KIIT Cricket Ground in Bhubaneswar to ensure strong readiness for the competition.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM on February 19, 2026, setting the stage for an exciting week of international cricket and inclusion.
India will be led by Virender Singh, while Sri Lanka will be captained by A. Kalep and Nepal by Baidyanath Chaudhary.
Leadership Speaks
ADCA President Sumit Jain said, “This championship marks a milestone in ADCA’s journey to promote diversity and advance world-class deaf cricket. We thank our partners for believing in our vision and supporting the ‘Dare to Dream’ movement to mainstream deaf cricket talent across Asia. Special thanks to all our partners for their support in this inaugural tournament, as well as to OCA and ODCA for their tremendous cooperation.”
IDCA CEO and ADCA Director Roma Balwani said, “Playing in Cuttack, one of India’s most iconic cricket venues, is truly inspiring for our athletes. At IDCA, we believe in enabling inclusion through disability sport, especially cricket. We deeply appreciate the trust of our partners, state associations, and supporters. We salute every athlete here for their passion, resilience, and excellence—both on and off the field.”
She further added that IDCA played a key role in facilitating the arrangements for the ADCA tournament. Visiting teams expressed gratitude for IDCA’s support in hosting the championship in Cuttack. Special thanks were also extended to IDCA Vice President and General Secretary Sagarkant Senapati and ODCA CEO Ms. Sharmila Subramanyam for making the tournament memorable for the visiting teams from Sri Lanka and Nepal.
