New Delhi, 08 July (Hindustan Times). India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams are set to compete in the Asian Games for the first time, with the BCCI’s Apex Council approving their participation in the upcoming Games to be held in September-October. Cricket has been included in the Asian Games twice before, in 2010 and 2014, but India did not participate both times.
Like the 2010 and 2014 editions, the format of the cricket event in Hangzhou will be T20 only.
“We are going to participate in the Asian Games. The Apex Council has approved the participation of our men’s and women’s teams,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed on Friday.
With the men’s ODI World Cup, which is set to begin on October 5, two days before the end of the Asian Games cricket competition, the BCCI is expected to send a second-string men’s team and a full-strength women’s team to the Games.
Bangladesh (2010) and Sri Lanka (2014) won the men’s gold medal in previous editions of the Games, while Pakistan won the women’s gold medal both times.
As per the report in ESPNcricinfo, other issues discussed by the apex committee included the issue of players retiring from international and domestic cricket to participate in foreign leagues. The latest case in point is Ambati Rayudu, who retired after the final of IPL 2023, following which he signed up with the Texas Super Kings for the upcoming inaugural edition of Major League Cricket.
As of now, Indian cricketers can participate in foreign leagues only if they do not participate in international cricket or tournaments run by the BCCI, including the IPL. While so far only a handful of Indian players have gone on to play in foreign leagues after their retirement, the rapidly growing number of leagues around the world has raised concerns that players may retire early to play in these new tournaments.
Shah said, “We will bring a policy to stop the trend of pre-determined retirement. The office-bearers will frame a policy and send it back for approval.”
