Cricket for Change: The inspirational story of Iain Nairn

Nairn lost his right leg at an early age, a birth deformity the reason, and has used a prosthetic limb ever since. It's not something he has ever tried to hide.

"I am really open for years. I have just worn shorts. I don't try and make my prosthetic look like a limb. It's a prosthetic and I am proud of it. Without it, I wouldn't have been the person I am," Nairn said, speaking to ICC Cricket 360.

Cricket has always been a big part of the Nairn family. "Cricket's been part of my life ever since I was a child. Dad played the game, my granddad played the game." With their encouragement and support, Nairn battled his way up the ranks, all the way to becoming the England captain.

I lost my leg aged 16 months due to deformity, and at 16 months, my mom and dad made the decision to amputate it and I've run around on a prosthetic limb ever since then."

"The thing that stands out for me was the story of [him] overcoming disability and his talent as a cricketer. That's how we first came to our attention," said Ian Martin, the England and Wales Cricket Board's Head of Disability Cricket, of Nairn.

"He looked an exceptional cricketer and when you learn that he is an amputee, I mean ... it just makes his story more and more remarkable."

Nairn started playing at an early age at Chester-le-Street. As an eight-year-old, he played club cricket and got into the Under-13 side, and went on to play for the Under-15s and Under-18s. He also played at school and for Durham County through his teens.

It was at the age of 32 that Nairn was invited to join the England team after being promoted by his county for training in 2012. He later led his side to glory in the first-ever international tournament for physically disabled players involving five teams – Bangladesh, the host country, England, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The England captain also spoke about the experience of playing the tri-series against Bangladesh and Pakistan at the ICC Cricket Academy, calling it a "fantastic experience".

"For a group of cricketers who've played club cricket in the UK, to playing at the ICC Academy in Dubai with all of the facilities and we played the final in one of the big stadiums – it was a fantastic experience."