The Twenty20 match between the intellectually-challenged cricketers of Bengal and Bangladesh at Eden Gardens yesterday may have been a welcome spectacle, but the event gave the differently-abled sportspersons a huge opportunity to showcase their talent and make their presence felt in a sporting fraternity dominated by the mainstream.

The coach of the Bangladesh XI side, Mohammad Ali Hyder, said as much as he spoke to The Indian Express on the sidelines of yesterday’s match at Eden.

“I must express my gratitude to the Bangladesh government and particularly the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for supporting these differently-abled players. I feel proud to be a part of this team. They are good players and they are improving everyday. In fact, our journey started three years back, at the 2006 Cricket Carnival in Mumbai. Our main aim now is the 2011 Athens Summer Games, which we want to win. The way our government and our cricket board have been supporting us, it has become our duty to live up to the expectations,” Hyder said, recounting the transformation of these bunch of cricketers from pushovers to a force to reckon with. That message was loud and clear even in the one-off Twenty20 match they played against the local team here yesterday. Bangladesh XI secured a whopping 94-run win against Bengal XI at Eden, and former Indian captain graced the occasion with his participation.

Bengal XI coach SS Dugar, who played an instrumental role in moulding the challenged cricketers from this side of the border, quite rightly pointed out that Ganguly’s presence inspired the players and gave them a special boost to perform.

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