Deaf cricket is a format of cricket for players with hearing impairment. It includes players who have a hearing loss of 55 decibels or less in their best functioning ear. On the cricket field, dead players are not allowed to wear any hearing aids or implants.
Deafness or hearing impairments do not pose an obstacle during playing the sport. Thus, all deaf cricket matches follow the standard laws of the game as laid by the Marylebone Cricket Club. A match between players with hearing impairments was first held in 1895 between South Australia and Victoria. Nearly a century later, the first draft cricket match at an international level was held between England and Australia. It was played as a test match format and was won by Australia.
The Deaf International Cricket Council (DICC) is the governing body of deaf cricket. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, England and South Africa have the most active deaf cricket associations.
In 1995-96, the first ever World Cup of Deaf Cricket was held in Australia. The hosts were victorious after defeating England in the finals. The second World Cup of Deaf Cricket was held in India in 2005. Yet again, it was the host team who won the tournament, and yet again, the English finished as the runner-ups. England were also the runner-ups of the 2016 Deaf International Cricket Council Championships.
The first two editions of T20 World Cups of Deaf Cricket was won by India. The third edition was won by Sri Lanka. In 2023, the fourth edition of the tournament will be held in Qatar. In 2022, India, South Africa, Australia and Bangladesh were a part of the first ever T20 Champions Trophy of deaf cricket.
As of 2020, the following teams are a part of the Deaf International Cricket Council: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, USA and Zimbabwe.
