New Delhi:
Australian blind cricketer Steffan Nero have shattered the world record as he played a spectacular spell of being unbeaten after facing 140 balls against New Zealand.
Nero’s surpassed Masood Jan’s record set in 1998 Blind Cricket World Cup who scored 262 runs. The Australian batter smashed 49 fours and a six to take his team’s total at 542/2 off 40 overs and the opposing team, New Zealand, was bundled out for 272. Nero remained a top-performer during the fielding as well, facilitating five run-outs as wicketkeeper.
Nero has joined the likes of Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke and David Warner as he hit triple century across all formats.
“It’s the first time I’ve played an ODI in a while. It got difficult at stages. There were times when I was getting quite tired, mentally as well, and I thought I was going to get out,” Nero said to News Corp.
“For any fully-sighted cricketer to bat for that amount of overs is tough, for blind cricketers, we use so much more energy to concentrate — the glare becomes a big factor as well. I was really well supported by the other boys and I definitely didn’t do it alone. People around me were just telling me to push. I was that knackered but kept finding it in me to keep pushing,” he added.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet but as the days and weeks pass, I think I’ll realise what an achievement it is.”
The Australian blind cricketers’ team is playing five T20 and three one-day international matches against New Zealand, with the series scheduled to conclude on Friday
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