Cricket will continue at the Asian Games. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has decided that the world’s second biggest sport will be played at consecutive Games for the second time. Although the event was created in 1951, Cricket featured for the first time in 2010.
Cricket preferred over open water swimming in Asian Games 2026
It returned in 2014, wasn’t included in 2018 and then returned in 2022 again. Since Cricket will be played at the LA 2028 Olympics, the OCA has decided that the sport should be persisted with at the Asian Games 2026. Therefore, the organisation has decided to include Cricket over open water swimming.
Uncertainty over venue
Japan will host the Asian Games 2026. It’ll be played from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi Prefecture (primarily Nagoya). As far as Cricket goes, there is still uncertainty over the venue since Aichi doesn’t have the proper infrastructure for the sport. In general, Japan has 6 cricket grounds. But only one venue is fit for hosting international-level cricket: the Sano International Cricket Ground, Tochigi Prefecture.
Cricket at Asian Games 2022
In that 2022 edition of the Asian Games, which was played in 2023 due to Covid, 14 teams played in the men’s event. Nine teams played in the group stage: Nepal, Mongolia, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Maldives, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
Of these, the top three, Nepal, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, qualified for the quarterfinals. While India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh had secured direct qualification to the quarters. And India won the men’s event.
In the women’s event, 8 teams participated. Four teams played in the group stage: Indonesia, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. And Mongolia was knocked out. Similar to the men’s, five teams earned direct quarterfinal qualification: India, Pakistan, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. And like the men’s, India won the women’s event as well.
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