Access.Ability.League 2025 - An Inclusive Cricket Exhibition by ConnectHear and Standard Chartered Pakistan

Standard Chartered Pakistan and ConnectHear (www.connecthear.org), Pakistan’s leading assistive technology startup and pioneer in accessibility solutions, successfully organised the Access.Ability.League 2025 – An Inclusive Cricket Exhibition on 6th December 2025 at the Aga Khan University Sports Complex, Karachi. Held in honour of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the exhibition brought together Deaf, Blind, and Wheelchair cricket teams from across Pakistan, including athletes who compete at national and international levels, to celebrate sporting excellence, champion inclusion, and affirm every athlete’s right to participate fully in sports.

The aim of the exhibition was to acknowledge and elevate athletes with disabilities who have achieved remarkable success in sports, and to showcase how inclusive sporting opportunities empower individuals. The programme featured three main athletic sections: Blind Cricket, Deaf Cricket, and Wheelchair Cricket. Each team demonstrated exceptional skill, strategy, and spirit, proving that access to sport, adaptive training, and inclusive competition platforms forge pathways for national recognition. The event also served as a critical call to action for both public and private institutions to urgently invest in inclusive sports programs and infrastructure nationwide.

The proceedings commenced with a welcome address by Ms. Azima Dhanjee, CEO of ConnectHear, where she highlighted the organisation’s mission to make sports and technology accessible for all. "Cricket is the heartbeat of this nation, and we believe it can also become the strongest bridge for inclusion. This league is not just a one-day exhibition; it is the beginning of a movement. We hope that federations, institutions, and sponsors across Pakistan will join hands with us to ensure that inclusive cricket becomes a permanent part of our sporting culture, not an exception".

The opening ceremony also featured remarks from Mr. Tuaha Ahmed Faruqi, Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), Government of Sindh, along with representatives from Aga Khan University, collectively emphasizing their commitment to accessibility and empowerment for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Commenting on the event, Rehan Shaikh, CEO & Head of Coverage, Standard Chartered Pakistan stated, “As a purpose led organisation, Standard Chartered continues to invest in programmes that drive meaningful, measurable impact. Supporting this inclusive cricket tournament reflects our commitment to enabling participation, equity and empowerment through sport. We are proud to contribute to a platform that demonstrates the value of inclusion in action.”

The event was supported by a strong network of partners with Standard Chartered Pakistan taking the lead as the main sponsor and included other sponsors such as Bank AL Habib,

Contour Software, Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), Habib Metro Bank, Brand & Media Learning Hub, PMYP (Prime Minister Youth Programme), and Aga Khan University Sports Complex.

The Access.Ability.League 2025 was received overwhelmingly, with over 1,000 attendees with and without disabilities enjoying the event. It garnered immense encouragement, support, and appreciation from spectators, dignitaries, and PWDs alike, reinforcing the transformative power of inclusive sports in changing perceptions and creating opportunities.

Since its inception in 2017, ConnectHear has focused globally on accessible information and communication for persons with disabilities. The organisation launched Pakistan’s first virtual sign language interpretation app, enabling Deaf users to access remote interpreters via smartphones. Within its first year, the platform had already delivered over two million minutes of interpretation, worked with 150+ organisations, placed 400+ persons with disabilities in different jobs, and has since continued to expand globally with advanced AI solutions, including real-time sign language recognition. ConnectHear extends its gratitude to all partners, sponsors, and supporters who made the Access.Ability.League 2025 possible, including all participating teams, volunteers, and spectators.

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