India mixed-disability side recreates Ganguly shirt-waving after Lord’s win
India’s mixed disability cricket team defeated England by 118 runs in the seventh and final T20I of their mixed disability series at Lord’s in London on Wednesday, with England winning the seven-match series 4-3.
The Indian players and officials marked the victory by recreating Sourav Ganguly’s 2002 shirt-waving celebration on the Lord’s balcony, removing their blazers and waving the Tricolour after the match. A video shared by the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) showed the balcony celebration and the images quickly circulated on social media. “When India wins at Lord’s, the celebrations hit different. A moment of pure cricketing joy on the Lord’s Balcony — coats off, spirits high, and the Tricolour flying with pride. 118 runs. One unforgettable celebration,” DCCI wrote on X.
India’s innings produced 206 for four, their highest total of the seven-match series. Arjun Gawre top-scored with 68 off 44 balls while captain Majid Magray accelerated late, finishing unbeaten on 63 from 19 deliveries. Sai Akash also made a contribution as India built a total that proved well beyond England’s reach.
England’s chase collapsed as they were bowled out for 88. Hilal Ahmad Wani took four wickets for 21 runs and Jayesh Parmar claimed three for 14, restricting the hosts and securing the emphatic final-match victory for India.
The result left England as series winners by 4-3, and captain Callum Flynn acknowledged the team had hoped for a different finish at Lord’s. “Ultimately India were too good for us today, but we can be happy that we’ve won the series,” Flynn said. “It’s been an amazing series. The standard and the competition has risen every series we’ve had against India.”
The mixed disability format fields players with a range of impairments, including physical, hearing and learning disabilities, enabling competitors with varied abilities to play together. Flynn also reflected on the significance of playing at Lord’s for players with disabilities: “As cricketers with disabilities, some of us might have imagined we’d never get the chance to play here,” he said. “The next step now is getting a win here!” England’s wait for a victory at Lord’s in mixed disability cricket will therefore continue.
Twenty-four years after Ganguly famously waved his shirt on the Lord’s balcony following the 2002 NatWest Trophy final, India’s mixed disability team closed the series with a memorable, consolation win at the same venue while England secured the series 4-3.
