The BCCI has decided against sending an Indian side to participate at this year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, which will be held from September 23 to October 8.
The Indian board has cited prior commitments as the reason why it is unable to send either the men’s or the women’s team. It also means cricket will be the only sport with no Indian representation at the Asiad.
Bhupender Bajwa, India’s chef de mission, told The Indian Express, “They said they are preoccupied. We sent 3-4 emails to them but when we had to send entries to the organisers, they said they won’t go.”
According to the report, BCCI claims it only got the email from the Indian Olympic Association just ‘one day before the deadline’ and since the women’s team is playing another tournament, they will be unable to send a team.
The Indian women’s team is scheduled to play South Africa & New Zealand, while the Men in Blue will be busy with the ODI World Cup at home in October-November.
Cricket was also part of two other editions of the Asian Games, in 2010 and 2014, but India skipped both back then as well.