Commonwealth Games to push for Twenty20 cricket inclusion

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The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is to approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) again to push for Twenty20 cricket's inclusion in future Games, the CGF said on Tuesday.

"It is fundamental that our sports programme continues to evolve in such a way as to sustain the Commonwealth Games as one of the world's leading multi-sport events," CGF sports review committee chairman Tunku Imran said in a statement.

"Given cricket's strong association with the Commonwealth, the CGF will have further dialogue with the ICC as to the possibility of 20/20 cricket being included as an option for future editions of the Games," the CGF vice-president said.

Organisers of last year's Delhi Commonwealth Games were keen to include Twenty20 cricket but the powerful Indian cricket board rejected the idea, saying it did not want to further encourage this format of the game.

India had sent a second-string squad when cricket featured in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.

The CGF said it would also ask its 71 member countries to vote on whether to include beach volleyball from the 2018 Games.