The BCCI secretary Jay Shah has launched the second season of the HAP Cup, which is regarded as the biggest tournament for the physically challenged in India. Mr. Shah played an essential role in forming the country’s differently-abled cricketers committee. The committee was formed by the BCCI at its recently held Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) in Kolkata.
The Tau Devilal Cricket Stadium in Panchkula, Haryana, has been chosen as the venue for the HAP Cup. The tournament will be conducted from December 28 to 31. The Physically Challenged Cricket Association of India (PCCAI) organizes the HAP Cup on a yearly basis to spread happiness and positivity among the differently-abled players in the country.
The top players from the previous season including the winners of the World Series in 2019 in England have been divided into four teams, playing on a Round-Robin basis, with the top two teams playing in the final frontier of the competition.
The teams’ names are kept to respect the individuals from Australia who played a vital role in providing relief to nearly 500 physically disabled players during the coronavirus-forced lockdown. Harley Medcalf, the iconic Australian cricketer Steve Waugh’s manager, was one of the people who led this relief campaign for the players.
After forming the committee, Shah told the members of the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI), “History has been created. The first step has been taken, and now a lot of work has to be done for the development of all Divyang players of the country. BCCI shall give all possible support for this cause.”
Elated by the development, DCCI secretary-general Ravi Chauhan said, “For more than 10 years, all the organisations in their different ways have been struggling to get recognition from BCCI.”But it was Jay Shah who really took this cause personally and removed all the obstacles and formed this committee. All Divyang players today and tomorrow shall be always indebted to Jay Shah for this initiative.“