Xtra Time Web Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided not to send Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams to Hangzhou, China, for the upcoming Asian Games 2022. The decision has been taken due to prior commitments and scheduling conflicts. T20 cricket will be played at the Asian Games, and India’s absence is notable considering International Cricket Council’s push for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics.
According to the Future Tours Programme Indian women team will take on New Zealand and South Africa in limited overs series. In contrast, the men’s squad will play in the ODI World Cup on home soil in the months of October and November.
Bhupender Bajwa, India’s chef de mission for the Asian Games, said that the BCCI did not respond to their emails, and when they had to send entries to the organisers, they said they would not go. This decision has come under the radar, especially as the International Olympic Committee will meet in Mumbai shortly after the Asian Games to decide whether to include cricket in the Olympics.
Cricket was played at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, but BCCI did not send a team on either occasion due to other commitments. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka won gold medals in the men’s competition, while Pakistan won both editions of the women’s competition.
Hangzhou, China, will host the Asian Games 2022 from September 23 to October 8, 2023. This year, 40 sports will be featured at the 15-day continental championship, which was postponed from 2022 due to COVID-19.