How a hearing & speech-impaired cricketer from Kashmir led India to World League title

Anantnag, May 25: In the quiet village of Akad, nestled deep within the Lidder Valley of South Kashmir, celebrations broke out in an unlikely household. Cheers and proud tears marked a moment that had once seemed impossible.

At the heart of it all was Hilal Ahmad Wani, a 30-year-old cricketer who neither hears nor speaks but who just led India to a historic victory in the World Deaf Cricket League in Dubai.

A Final for the Ages

In the final, Hilal’s bat roared with fury, 70 runs off just 29 balls, with six towering sixes and five boundaries. With the ball, he was just as lethal, taking three vital wickets. His match-winning performance earned him both Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament awards, capping a fairytale journey from silence to stardom.

A Childhood Changed by Illness

Hilal wasn’t born with a disability. His father, Ali Muhammad Wani, a shawl seller by trade, recalls the moment their lives changed.

“He was a normal child, playful, full of energy. But after a severe illness at age three, he stopped hearing and speaking,” he said, the pain still fresh decades later.

Despite multiple visits to hospitals across India, nothing restored Hilal’s hearing or speech. But what remained untouched was his spirit and his love for cricket.

No Special School, No Special Treatment

With no specialised education facilities in the region, Hilal was enrolled in a mainstream school. He adapted in silence. But it was on the cricket field that he truly found his voice.

“Cricket was his language,” his father said. “Every day, he would spend hours playing with neighbourhood boys. No one had to tell him how to play, he just understood.”

Finding a Path in Punjab

Seeking better opportunities, Hilal later moved to Amritsar, Punjab, where he studied commerce at Khalsa School and took his game to the next level. He represented Punjab in inter-state tournaments, facing teams from across north India, both in deaf and mainstream competitions.

His skill soon drew the attention of selectors. In 2014, he was picked for the J&K Ranji Trophy squad, a landmark moment, but it didn’t last.

A Setback and a New Beginning

Hilal was dropped from the team shortly after. His family believes it wasn’t for lack of talent, but because of stigma and misunderstanding around his condition.

“It broke him,” said his mother, Parveena Akhtar. “He never complained, but we saw the pain.”

Instead of quitting, Hilal turned his focus to the deaf cricket circuit. He led J&K’s deaf team, then captained North Zone to several titles, eventually earning a spot on the Indian national team for the World League.

Dubai Dreams

In Dubai, Hilal showed the world what determination looks like. His performances throughout the tournament were electric, culminating in the breathtaking all-round display in the final.

Among the first to embrace and congratulate him was Yusuf Pathan, the former India all-rounder who watched the final live.

“Hilal’s performance was nothing short of inspirational,” Pathan said.

More Than a Trophy

Back in Kashmir, his story is inspiring a generation, not just of cricketers but of anyone who’s been told their dreams aren’t valid because of a disability.