NEW DELHI: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is investigating the possibility of adapting a baseball stadium in Nagoya for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The OCA is keen to include cricket in the games.
Administrators of cricket see multi-sport events such as the Asian Games as a chance to promote the sport, which will make its Olympic comeback in Los Angeles in 2028 after a one-and-a-half-decade hiatus.
Cricket was not included in the 2018 Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, but it was played during the Hangzhou Games in China the previous year.
Acting President of the OCA Randhir Singh stated, “We continue to work on the athletic programme for the 2026 Olympics but certainly we would like cricket to be an integral part of it.”
Nonetheless, there are still problems with Japan’s lack of cricket facilities. Although Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo, has an international cricket stadium, the OCA would like a venue in or near Nagoya, the capital of Aichi prefecture, where the Games will take place.
According to OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Kumar Tiwari, who traveled to Japan last month with an OCA coordination delegation to supervise preparations, the Tochigi stadium will be three and a half hours’ drive from Nagoya.
Tiwari stated, “We are collaborating with the Asian Cricket Council on this.”
Finalizing the schedule for the 2026 Games will take place in April during an OCA General Assembly.
Naoki Alex Miyaji, chief executive of the Japan Cricket Association, stated, “It will be great to have cricket in the 2026 Games. We at JCA will provide all kind of support.” “It would greatly advance the game’s national exposure and leave a wonderful legacy.”
