Accessibility organisation Svayam partners with the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India to support accessible and inclusive cricket at the international level

The landmark series, featuring players with physical disabilities, hearing impairments and intellectual disabilities competing together in a single international format, marks another significant step in promoting inclusivity and equal opportunity in sport.

Svayam partners with the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) to support accessible and inclusive cricket at the international level

 

We at Svayam have a history of supporting para sports, be it the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, the world para athletics championship or disability cricket and we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating an accessible sporting environment for our players. Svayam has supported parcricket when the England T20 Series was held at Lords Stadium in 2025 and this association of Svayam further strengthens our commitment to bring para sports to the forefront. The sense of belonging that parasport gives is unparalleled. It not only builds confidence and discipline but creates communities where everyone gets the opportunity to win, learn, and grow together. Through our continued association with DCCI, we at Svayam are proud to support a movement that places dignity, access, and inclusion at the heart of sport. We hope this collaboration further empowers players to come into their own and inspires institutions to prioritise accessibility as an integral part of sporting excellence.We wish Team India and Team England the very best for the upcoming series and look forward to many more such collaborations that strengthen the pathway towards a truly accessible and inclusive sporting future- Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson of Svayam and MD, Jindal SAW Ltd.

Rakesh Thapliyal

 New Delhi: As India’s para cricket continues to build strong momentum on global stage, accessibility organisation Svayam has deepened its commitment to inclusive sport by partnering with the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) as the Accessibility Partner and Co-sponsor for the upcoming Mixed Disability India–England T20I Series 2026. The collaboration was formally announced at a press conference held on Tuesday at the Jindal Centre, New Delhi, in the presence of key stakeholders from Indian and international disability cricket including Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson of Svayam and MD, Jindal SAW Ltd., Ravi Chauhan, President, DCCI, Ian Martin, Head of Disability Cricket, England and Wales Cricket Board along with the coaches and captains of the Indian and England teams. The five-match T20I series, scheduled to be played from January 29 to February 6, 2026, will take place across Greater Noida and Jaipur, marking another landmark moment for inclusive cricket in India.

Sminu Jindal, MD Jindal SAW Pvt Ltd. and Founder-Chairperson, Svayam

Speaking on the collaboration, Sminu Jindal, Founder and Chairperson, Svayam, and Managing Director, Jindal SAW Ltd, said ,“We at Svayam have a history of supporting para sports, be it the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, the world para athletics championship or disability cricket and we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating an accessible sporting environment for our players. Svayam has supported parcricket when the England T20 Series was held at Lords Stadium in 2025 and this association of Svayam further strengthens our commitment to bring para sports to the forefront. The sense of belonging that parasport gives is unparalleled. It not only builds confidence and discipline but creates communities where everyone gets the opportunity to win, learn, and grow together. Through our continued association with DCCI, we at Svayam are proud to support a movement that places dignity, access, and inclusion at the heart of sport. We hope this collaboration further empowers players to come into their own and inspires institutions to prioritise accessibility as an integral part of sporting excellence.We wish Team India and Team England the very best for the upcoming series and look forward to many more such collaborations that strengthen the pathway towards a truly accessible and inclusive sporting future.”

The India–England Mixed Disability T20I Series brings together players with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, and intellectual disabilities, competing in a single international format, underscoring the growing global recognition of mixed disability cricket as a competitive and unifying sporting platform. Svayam’s role as Accessibility Partner will focus on ensuring barrier-free access for players, officials, and spectators with reduced mobility, reinforcing the idea that inclusive sport begins with inclusive environments.

Ian Martin, Head of Disability Cricket, England and Wales Cricket Board stated, “This series reflects how far disability cricket has come and where it is headed. India’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion, supported by organisations like Svayam and DCCI, sends a powerful message to the global cricketing community. We look forward to an exciting series and to witnessing para sport grow, inspire and flourish globally.”

Highlighting the significance of the association, Ravi Chauhan, President, Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI), further added, “India’s mixed disability cricket journey has gained tremendous momentum, and collaborations like these are vital to sustaining that growth. Svayam’s expertise and long-standing work in accessibility brings immense value to the ecosystem. Together, we are not just hosting a series, we are setting benchmarks for how inclusive sport should be planned, delivered, and experienced.”

India’s men’s mixed disability squad:  Ravindra Sante leading the side as Captain and Vivek Kumar named as Vice-Captain, the team includes Vivek Kumar (hearing impairment), Akash Singh (hearing impairment), Sibun Nanda (hearing impairment), Shariq Majeed (hearing impairment), Krishna Gowda (hearing impairment), Deepak Kumar (hearing impairment), Jithendra V N (physical impairment), Majid (physical impairment), Wasim Iqbal (physical impairment), Yogender Badoriya (physical impairment), Akash Patil (physical impairment), Sandeep (Intellectual impairment), Rizwan (Intellectual Impairment), Tarun (Intellectual impairment), Soham (Intellectual impairment) and Jayesh Parmar (Intellectual impairment).

The England team: Callum Flynn (physical impairment), Aditya Patwardhan (hearing impairment), Alex Hammond (physical impairment), Alfie Pyle (physical impairment), Angus Brown (physical impairment), Chris Edwards (Intellectual impairment), Dan Reynaldo (physical impairment), Jon Gale (physical impairment), Henry Wainman (physical impairment), Jake Vosloo (physical impairment), James Dixon (hearing impairment), Jordan Williams (physical impairment), Josh Price (hearing impairment), Liam O’Brien (physical impairment), Mohammad Farooq (hearing impairment) and Ronnie Jackson (Intellectual impairment).

India’s preparations have been in full swing, with the national training camp concluding ahead of the team’s departure to Greater Noida on January 25.

The upcoming Mixed Disability India–England T20I Series 2026 mirrors India’s growing confidence in global paracricket, as years of groundwork begin to translate into presence, performance, and promise on the world stage.

About Svayam

Svayam is a leading accessibility organization that aims to reform infrastructure and transportation to make it accessible for people with reduced mobility. Accessibility aids individuals and gives them the freedom to independently explore the built environment around them, irrespective of their physical capabilities. This was on philanthropist-business visionary Sminu Jindal’s mind when she founded Svayam in October 2000. An initiative of the Sminu Jindal Charitable Trust, Svayam is a not-for-profit accessibility pioneer that focuses on creating a barrier-free world for all.

About DCCI

The Differently Abled Cricket Council of India is an umbrella body of four different types of Differently-Abled Cricket played in India. The Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) is supported by the BCCI as the only body to promote cricket among physically challenged, deaf, blind, and wheelchair participants.