BCCI To Send India’s Men, Women Cricket Teams To Asian Games 2023
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made the decision to send both the men’s and women’s senior cricket teams to the Asian Games 2023. Cricket will be played in the T20 format at the event, which will be held in China’s Hangzhou city from September 23 to October 8.
The women’s first-string team will participate in the tournament, while the BCCI will field a men’s B team. This decision was made because the main team will be playing in the 50-over World Cup at the same time.
Cricket is returning to the Asian Games after a gap of one edition. It was included in the 2010 and 2014 editions, but the BCCI did not send any team during those years. Cricket was not part of the 2018 Asian Games.
This will be the second time that the BCCI will field two different Indian cricket teams simultaneously. The first instance occurred in 1998 when two Indian teams played in the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the Sahara Cup.
The second such scenario happened when Shikhar Dhawan-led India played T20Is against Sri Lanka while another contingent led by Virat Kohli played against England in the United Kingdom.
Initially, the BCCI was not interested in sending a team to the Asian Games, but they have since had a change of heart. The decision to participate was made after a sudden rethink.
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A few months ago, the BCCI had not responded to emails from India’s chef de mission for the Asian Games, Bhupender Bajwa, inquiring about their eagerness to take part in the tournament.
The BCCI will be sending the final list of players for the Asian Games squad before June 30. The schedule for the ICC ODI World Cup, which will take place from October 5 to November 23, has not been announced yet.
