In an exciting development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given the green light to India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams to participate in the Asian Games, which are scheduled to take place in China’s Hangzhou in September-October. This marks the first time that India will compete in cricket at the Asian Games, as the country opted out of the previous editions in 2010 and 2014.
However, cricket enthusiasts will be disappointed to learn that several star players from the Indian men’s team will be absent from the competition. This is due to the upcoming ODI World Cup, which kicks off on October 5, just two days before the conclusion of the Asian Games. Consequently, regular captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and other key players will not be able to represent India in the Asian Games.
While the BCCI is expected to field a second-string men’s team for the tournament, it is highly likely that the women’s team will be a full-strength squad representing India in this prestigious international event. This means that the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana will be seen in action in the forthcoming event.
“BCCI will send both men’s and women’s teams to the Asian Games scheduled to be held in September 2023 at Hangzhou, China. However, considering the overlap of schedule of the Asian Games with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, BCCI will select players not participating in the World Cup to play in the Asian Games,” stated BCCI secretary Jay Shah in an official statement.
Looking back at the history of the Asian Games cricket competition, Bangladesh secured the men’s gold medal in 2010, while Sri Lanka emerged victorious in 2014. Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed the women’s gold in both previous editions.
