Umbilo Giant Killers Defend Title at 2025 Human Rights T20 Blind Cricket Cup

BY: .

Click here for isiZulu version

The Amanzimtoti Oval Cricket Club came alive over the Human Rights weekend as the KwaZulu-Natal Association for Blind Cricket (KZNABC), in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Society for the Blind (KNSB), hosted the thrilling 2025 Bureau Veritas T20 Blind Cricket Cup.

The three-day event celebrated inclusion, empowerment, and athletic excellence, drawing large crowds, many witnessing blind cricket for the first time. The tournament featured four teams: defending champions Umbilo Giant Killers (UGK), Amaqhawe, Scorpions, and newcomers Pietermaritzburg Pioneers, made up of UKZN students and community members.

UGK retained their championship title with an unbeaten record, earning 18 points, followed by Scorpions and Amaqhawe with 9 points each, while the spirited Pioneers finished fourth.

Star performers included Anathi Xelelo (UGK), who was named Best Male Player and B2 Batsman, and Bridget Mbutho (UGK), who took the Best Female Player award. Amaqhawe’s Siyanda Gumede impressed as both Best B3 Bowler and Best Young Player.

KZNABC President Ndumiso Nyawose praised the event as a showcase of ability and opportunity.

‘This competition represents what blind athletes can achieve when empowered. It’s about development, inclusion, and healthy living,’ he said.

Volunteers from UKZN’s Biokinetics, Exercise, and Leisure Sciences (BELS) department contributed as scorers and support staff, gaining hands-on experience in adapted sports. Lecturer Dr Khumbuzile Khumalo, who served as an umpire, emphasised the importance of growing female participation in blind cricket.

The event was supported by sponsors including Aquelle, Oasis Water, Ashraful Aid, South African National Zakah Fund, and the KZN Cricket Union. Despite its success, Nyawose noted the need for increased sponsorship, particularly to develop the growing women’s cricket scene.

The 2025 edition reinforced KZN’s status as a powerhouse in blind cricket, with UGK leading the way and ambitions set high for expanding the sport across the province.

Words: Nombuso Dlamini

Photographs: Supplied