Twice, in 2010 and 2014, cricket was contested at the Asian Games; nevertheless, India abstained from sending a team on both occasions due to prior obligations.
On Friday, the Apex Council of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sanctioned the participation of the men’s and women’s teams in the Hangzhou Asian Game scheduled for September-October 2023. This year, the Asian Game will be held in China from September 23 to October 8, 2023, encompassing a multitude of sports. Among them, cricket will be featured prominently.
The women’s squad, comprising of first-choice players, will commence their campaign on September 19, whereas the men’s secondary team will commence their matches on September 28. Cricket has only been played twice at the Asian Games, with the Indian cricket team absent on both occasions. For the men’s team, the Asian Games cricket competition coincides with a crucial period as India will be hosting the ODI World Cup commencing on October 5.
In a written communication, the BCCI expressed the challenges of fielding a team at the Asian Games due to a hectic international schedule. Nevertheless, India is expected to be the favored nation for securing gold medals in both the men’s and women’s events.
“The BCCI is determined to overcome these challenges and support the nation by carefully planning, communicating, and coordinating, following the directions of the Indian government. Our goal is to field teams in both men’s and women’s categories.”
Despite the demanding international calendar, the BCCI is determined to field competitive teams in both categories, thereby supporting the nation’s cause.
In the realm of Indian men’s cricket competitions, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka clinched gold medals in separate editions, while Pakistan emerged victorious in both editions of the women’s competition.
