Retaining it from the Hangzhou 2023 edition, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) confirmed on Wednesday (April 30) that cricket will be part of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. (More Cricket News)
The decision to keep cricket was taken during the meeting between the OCA and the organising committee (AINAGOC) earlier this week.
"The latest development in the compilation of the sports programme came at the 41st meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on Monday, April 28, when cricket and mixed martial arts were both formally approved," the OCA said.
Cricket matches will be played in the T20 format and hosted in Aichi prefecture, while the exact venues are yet to be finalised.
"The venue for cricket will be in Aichi prefecture but the exact location has not been decided. Interest will be high, not only because of cricket라이브 바카라 popularity in South Asia in particular but also because the T20 (20 overs per side) format will be included in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028," the OCA said.
Cricket will be making its first appearance in the Olympics since 1900 in Paris, where Great Britain beat France by 158 runs in the final of the two-team tournament.
As for the Asian Games, cricket will one of 41 sports part of the roster, with participation from 15,000 athletes and officials representing the OCA's 45 National Olympic Committees expected.
This will be the fourth time cricket features in the Asian Games, following its inclusion in Guangzhou (2010), Incheon (2014) and Hangzhou (2023). The Indian men's and women's teams are the defending champions.
The OCA also confirmed that a "floating Athletes’ Village" — a cruise ship docked in Nagoya Port — will accommodate 4,600 athletes and officials.
It will lodge athletes from several disciplines including archery, basketball 3x3, canoe/kayak (sprint), cycling mountain bike, cycling BMX racing, football (men), gymnastics, handball, judo, kabaddi, kurash, mixed martial arts, rowing, rugby, sepaktakraw, sport climbing, squash, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.
But cricketers will be accommodated in hotels, alongside athletes from badminton and football.
(With PTI inputs)
