Yes, it’s confirmed! Cricket to be included in the 2022 Asian Games

Cricket to be included in the 2022 Asian Games

Cricket to be included in the 2022 Asian Games

A moment of rejoice for all the cricket fans as Cricket has been returned at the Asian Games, OCA vice-president Randhir Singh confirmed on Sunday. In an Olympic Council of Asia’s meeting held in Bangkok on Sunday, it was decided to bring back Cricket in the Asian Games 2022, scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China.

“Yes, cricket has been included in the sports programme for the 2022 Hangzhou Games,” Randhir Singh told PTI.

For those of you who aren’t aware, Cricket was part of the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games event, abandoning in the year 2018 edition. Interestingly, the Council has decided to once again bring Cricket back into the scheme of things.

The last edition of Asian Games was held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from August 18 to September 2, 2018. The next games are scheduled to held in Hangzhou, China between 10 and 25 September 2022.

Indian Olympic Association General Secretary Rajeev Mehta has congratulated OCA for the inclusion of Cricket once again and has also said to request BCCI to send the Indian Cricket Team for the Asian Games 2022.

“We welcome the decision of the OCA. Which format will be played is not yet confirmed but it is a welcome decision,” Mehta said in Bangkok after attending the meeting.

“The IOA will request the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to send a cricket team in the 2022 Asian Games. India can win in both men and women’s events and increase its medal tally,” Mehta added.

“There is a lot of time to go for 2022 Asian Games. In due time, we will discuss and decide,” a BCCI official opined highlighting the three years remaining in the tournament.

Having said that, unfortunately, BCCI is unlikely to accept the proposal and had also, earlier, denied to play in 2014 edition as well, prompting OCA vice-president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah say that all Indian administrators are concerned about is earning money.

I’m sorry that India, for the second Games, did not send a team. I respect their decision but I believe the people in charge are not interested in the promotion of the game but only in making it a business, in making money out of it. They want to control the market and control the game,” he had mentioned.

Asian Games History & Records

Asian Games History

A multi-sport event held after every four years, Asian Games is the second largest (multi-sport) event after the Olympic Games. It is currently regulated by Olympic Council of Asia. Earlier, The Asian Games were organized by the Asian Games Federation before the break-up of the federation in 1978.

As many as nine nations have hosted the Asian Games till now with forty-six nations participating in the event. The last event was held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia from August 18 to September 2, 2018. The next edition is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China between 10 and 25 September 2022.

Before the Asian Games’ inaugural edition, an event known as the Far Eastern Championship was organized in a bid to promote games in Asia. The Far Eastern Championship Games inaugural event was held in 1913 in Manila and persisted until 1934, having organized ten more events in between before the Sino-Japanese war took place, leading to an end of the Far Eastern Championship, with the event being abandoned in 1938.

Medal Counts

China has been the most successful nation in the Asian Games with 3187 medals, (including 1473 gold, 994 silver, and 720 bronze), followed by Japan and South Korea with 3054 and 2235 medals respectively.

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