Asian Games cricket hit by India withdrawal
Cricket’s debut at the Asian Games this year suffered a body blow on
Tuesday as India pulled out, while top stars from Pakistan and Sri Lanka
were also set to miss the competition. The Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) said it would not field the men’s and women’s teams at
the November 12-27 Games in the Chinese city of Guangzhou because of
prior commitments.
“We would not be able to send our team, both men and women, for the
Asian Games in China because of international commitments,” BCCI chief
administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told reporters in Mumbai.
“We have communicated the same to the Indian Olympic Association.”
India has huge cricket-mad television audiences, making the team an
attractive proposition for any organiser. But the national side is due
to host New Zealand in November. There were also grave doubts if two
other Asian Test nations — Pakistan and Sri Lanka — would field their
top cricketers.
Pakistan on Monday announced a Test and one-day series against South
Africa from October 25 to November 25, while Sri Lanka are scheduled to
host the West Indies in the same period.
Bangladesh, the other Test nation from the continent, has a home
one-day series against Zimbabwe in November.
NEW DELHI, AFP
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