“Ok, here is your chance” I kept on repeating to myself until I reached the crease. I took my stance by carefully aligning my wheelchair in the batting crease and gripping the bat in my right hand. Later when I saw a video, I heard a roaring cheer when I was adjusting my stance but at that moment, I was just trying to breathe.
“You have practiced this. You go this” I told myself as the bowler got ready.
This was the final of the DEI box cricket championship. I was the last man for my team and I had only 3 balls left to score as many runs as I could.
“You got this”
Baller swung his arm and the ball was traveling towards my stumps. I must hit it to make maximum use of those 3 balls.
And before I tell you what happened next, I want to tell you, what the heck I was doing playing a cricket match? Let me slow it down for you, if case you don’t have a surprised expression on your face. I, who is permanently in a wheelchair, was playing a cricket match in my company when I should be working.
To understand why I was playing a cricket match during my office hours, well because my office had arranged a DEI week.
The DEI Event at Infosys
Diversity, equality, and inclusion week was celebrated to improve awareness about various types of disability. Considering my work in the field of disability, my company asked me to be on the event’s planning committee. I gladly accepted and worked with wheelchair vendors, to bring them to our campus for demonstration. There were many other events planned during the week. We had a diversity walk. We had talks from renowned speakers and to celebrate inclusivity it was suggested to play an inclusive box cricket match with a tennis ball.
Nominations were requested from the Pune campus. The match was to show that people with disability could participate in the games and compete with regular cricketers. The match was going to be a symbol of inclusivity. So remembering this intent, when we planned the event, I immediately registered for the match. I was hoping that other PwD (persons with disabilities) from the Pune campus, would surely resonate with this purpose too.
When the teams were announced, I was the only PwD candidate in the 8 teams playing in the event. I was a bit taken aback when the teams were announced. Thankfully, the matches were planned a few days later so I didn’t want to think too much about it. I was busy with my work. Not to mention the tasks related to the DEI event kept me pretty occupied to think about anything else.
The matches were planned in a knock-out way. Each match was going to be a do-or-die match. The 8 teams were divided into 2 groups and the winners of these groups would play in the final.
Ours was team 2. The match day arrived and our captain created a WhatsApp group where a lot of discussions happened on meeting the team members. But no actual meeting happened. It was decided that we would meet directly at the cricket ground.
Panic Attack
When it was just an hour before our match started, I started cursing my impulse to register for the box cricket event without thinking much. I thought, how ridiculous it would be to be the only PwD in the entire event. How stupid would I look when I will not be able to hit a ball or bowl a ball? How will I ever field in the ground? Can I even play cricket anymore? What message will I give the world when I cause my team to lose? My biggest contribution to Team 2, would be not showing up for the event. And what about the impact on my work? How much time I might waste on the game instead of working? I would rather join the meeting with the client to resolve some of the issues.
All these thoughts swarmed my mind. I started sweating profusely. I decided to rush into the washroom to splash water on my face. After cold water droplets hit my face repeatedly, I could breathe normally. I looked in the mirror. I saw a scared man looking back. I decided to use the “first principle” thinking. I decided to boil down the problem to its most fundamental truth.
What was the purpose of this cricket match? To show the world that my company gives equal opportunities to all, be it work or the game. This means, that even if it is 1 PwD, I must participate to showcase inclusivity. Besides I had given my word by registering. If I can’t keep my word then what kind of person am I? Even though it was hard to accept, the decision was made.
I had to go, I had to be present. That is it.
The Qualifiers
As per my decision, I reached the box cricket venue. I saw a group of boys standing, counting their teammates. They were fit and enviably young. I shook hands with most of these young men, trying to identify which one of them was part of Team 2. I found a quiet-looking, group of boys standing on the side. I introduced myself to them. I know I am very bad with names, so I kept repeating their names to remember them.
I formed a pattern-
- Sumit- the fit -Messi jersey-wearing boy,
- Saurabh – the cool and collectible,
- Swanand – charming lad,
- Eager-ever-enthusiastic-Prem
- The happy-go-lucky Pallavi.
After talking to these boys, I felt relieved that all my predictions were wrong. I thought I would be ridiculed but here my teammates were very welcoming. I thought, I would not be able to play, instead, I was getting all the help and encouragement from my teammates. They offered that I should bowl first. I was given a substitute for fielding as well.
With introductions out of the way, it was game on for team 2.
In the qualifying matches, I bowled first. It would be fair to say that I did a good enough job. When it was announced that Team 2 would be in the final against Team 6, we were overjoyed. It was hard not to remember the recent World Cup loss of India in the finals against Australia. Hence, we decided to only celebrate when the fat lady sings.
The Final
I knew I could bat better than I did in earlier matches. I requested Pallavi to bowl me. This turned out to be a crucial practice session for me.
In the finals, our opposition won the toss and put us in the batting. Swanand-Suarabh always formed a stable partnership even in the qualifying rounds which laid the foundation of our batting. In the finals as well, they ensured there were no exceptions. Prem and Sumit took the role of hitting it hard. It all worked well but, in the finals, in the last over Sumit got out and I was called in. Usually, my role was to rotate the strike if we had a set batsman at the other end. But in the finals, we didn’t have a set batsman. With the last 3 balls of the first innings, I was batting.
“You got this” I repeated.
I connected the first ball I played well. It went over the fielders for 2 runs. The rules of the game were such that any runs scored by a PwD or a woman player would be doubled so these 2 runs were considered to be a 4. The next two balls, I swung my bat as hard as I could but I missed them.
With a score of 46 runs, in 6 overs, we were sitting in a comfortable position. All we had to do was not to mess it up in the bowling department. As usual, I was asked to bowl the first over by my captain. These were new tennis balls so I realized that there would not be much of a spin. I had to control my line and length. I bowled 2 wide balls but the rest of the 6 balls were tight. I gave only 7 runs. There was an impossible chance of being caught and bowled but unfortunately, the ball didn’t stick in my hand.
The boys played well thereafter and gave a tough time to our opposition team. Every run had to be earned by them. Wickets were tumbling due to the pressure of runs. In the final over, they required 22 runs off the 6 balls. Our happy-go-lucky Pallavi was on the bowling crease. With their batsman trying to hit as hard as they could, one more wicket fell. With the last ball, went over the fence of the box cricket field, thereby getting declared out.
We won. We really won. A team of strangers, came together to win the first DEI box cricket championship.
After the ceremonial pictures at the field, we all went for a cup of coffee where we got to know each other even more. It was wonderful to share these moments with this group.
Apart from the ecstasy of winning cricket matches, being with this group of exceptional young folks, I learned some valuable lessons-
- Don’t overthink – the world is not as bad as you’d think to be.
- It is important to trust the goodness in people
- You should always keep your word. A man who can’t keep his word loses his worth.
- No limitation can hold you back if you are determined and surround yourself with like-minded people.
- Fear can be overcome by finding the fundament truth of the problem.
P.S.- you should never be afraid to grab chances for yourself as you never know how it might turn out. For example, because I dared to be on the field and play, I was even featured in an Infosys post here.