For them cricket exists in their sixth sense. For these men in blue, vision impairment could never act as a hurdle in their path towards fulfilling their dreams. The colours of this world – the cheering audience on the strands, the azure sky, the ochre sunset, the faces of their family members and team mates, and even the bat, ball and wickets are either descriptions by others or just sounds.

I felt clean bowled by awe when India defeated Pakistan by nine wickets in the final of the T20 World Cup for the Blind to lift their second straight title yesterday in Bangalore. Sitting in front of the television, an entire nation witnessed their differently able heroes chasing a target of 198 runs as India sauntered to the target at the loss of just one wicket. After the success of Indian para-athletes at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, the Indian blind cricket team has added another chapter of glory in history of Indian sports. It is the only blind team in the world to have won all three championships – T20, ODI and Asian championship.

After the match ended, I looked up the internet to find out how the players understand the pace of the ball on the pitch. What I read was very interesting. Most of the visually impaired players are either totally blind, or they are unable to see beyond three or six metres. So how do they play cricket? The hard plastic ball has few metal ball bearings inside it, and players listen to the rattling sound of these bearings. I think blind cricket is a true manifestation of excellent human spirit and an instinct to perform, regardless of the disabilities. I was immensely intrigued by the passion with which the players played the game.

I suddenly remember Hellen Keller. She was blind, deaf and mute, yet that didn't stop her from achieving her dreams. Life is all about how we steer through our ordeals and become successful.