Indian men’s cricket team is reportedly set to make its debut in the Asian Games, as confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The decision to field the men’s team in the tournament comes after the successful participation of the Indian women’s cricket team in previous editions of the Asian Games.
However, there is a scheduling conflict between the Asian Games and the ICC Cricket World Cup, both of which are taking place in India this year. The Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, while the Cricket World Cup is set to take place from October 5 to November 19.
To resolve this conflict, the men’s cricket team participating in the Asian Games will comprise a B squad, meaning that star cricketers will not be part of the team. The BCCI will submit the player list for the Asian Games to the Indian Olympic Association by June 30.
It is worth noting that teams will also have to participate in warm-up matches before the Asian Games. While the BCCI expressed initial reluctance to send a cricket team to the Asian Games, they eventually decided to field a team in the Twenty20 format.
This development provides an opportunity for the Indian men’s cricket team to participate in the Asian Games, although without their star players due to the scheduling clash with the Cricket World Cup.