Cricket’s debut at this year’s Asian Games suffered a severe setback with India pulling out of the event.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday decided against sending either the men’s or the women’s teams to the November 12-27 Games in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, citing international commitments.
Cricket’s maiden appearance at the Games was approved at the Olympic Council of Asia general assembly in Kuwait recently and Monday was the last day to confirm participation. The board’s move means India could miss out on a couple of potential medals at the Games, where the game debuts with the Twenty20 format.
The Indian men’s team are set host New Zealand for three Tests and five one-dayers in November.
“We would not be able to send our teams, both men and women, because of international commitments,” BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said here on Tuesday.