Reports: Logistical challenges might lead to omission of cricket from Asian Games 2026

Cricket is about to get a major blow as the chances of getting omitted from the Asian Games 2026 are high. As per reports, due to some logistical reasons, the sport might be omitted from the tournament. While no confirmation has come from the officials, reports surfacing over the internet claim that logistical challenges at Nagoya are the main reason behind this act. 

However, Japan Cricket Association official, Alan Curr, talked about the importance of adding cricket to the Asian Games to develop and popularize the sport in several nations which do not consider cricket as a sport. Curr said, "It’s very important to get cricket into the 2026 Asian Games and put the game in front of people. For non-playing countries, cricket is seen as a minor sport."

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) wasn't sure of the hosting of cricket in the Asian Games 2026 because enough hotels weren't present in the given location. OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Kumar Tiwari said, "The only problem with the stadium which JCA (Japan Cricket Association) had offered is the distance. Also, if you're hosting an international tournament, you need enough hotels around, which are not there at the moment. That's why we are not considering it."

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India are defending champions in cricket in Asian Games 2026

In the previous edition of the Asian Games 2023, Indian men and women made the country proud by winning Gold medals in the sport. The women's team was led by Harmanpreet Kaur who won the finals against Sri Lanka which was a thriller. Sri Lanka couldn't chase a target of 116 runs and India won the game by 19 runs. 

On the other hand, the men's team was led by Ruturaj Gaikwad. The men's team didn't get a chance to play the final game because of rain. But they were declared the winners because of their points table position in the tournament. India had won all the matches and hence, on that basis, they won the finals.