All speculations are over; cricket is all set to make a comeback in the Asian Games. The Asian Games 2026 in Japan will arrange cricket matches as well on the prestigious stage of multi-sports. The decision to include cricket came after an official meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors at Nagoya City Hall on Monday, April 28. Venues for the cricket matches are yet to be decided.

Previously, on three occasions, cricket played a major role in the Asian Games. The last time when the sports event was a part of the Games, India clinched gold medals in both the men's and women's categories. The men's team won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou after the final match against Afghanistan, which washed out due to rain. The Men in Blue Brigade won the title as they were the higher-ranked team.

The women's team claimed the same after outclassing Sri Lanka in the final by 19 runs. Before 2022, cricket matches were arranged in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and in the 2014 Incheon Asiad as well. But on both occasions, India did not register their team.

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Asian Games 2026 has decided to retained Cricket 

Cricket in the Asian Games 2026 was uncertain. Alan Curr, Head of Cricket Operations at the Japan Cricket Association, had earlier said, "There are 41 other sports they are going to deliver for the Games, and cricket is not one of them at this stage. Unless someone tells us differently, we won't be making any plans to take our teams to participate in this event." It looks like the situation has changed a lot. In a major development of the Games, organizers have decided to include the popular sports event as well.

In a written statement, the Olympic Council of Asia said, "The latest development in the compilation of the sports program 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."