The Asian Games will be played from September 23 to October 8, 2023 in Hangzhou, China. Originally scheduled to be played in 2022, the Games had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty20 cricket is supposed to be one of the sports that will be played at the Asian Games this year.

The current schedule of the event overlaps with the Men’s ODI World Cup which will run from October 5 to November 23. The BCCI were justifiably apprehensive about the participation of the Indian team to the Asian Games. However, according to an Indian Express report, they have now given the nod.

What is BCCI’s current stance on the participation of the Indian teams in the Asian Games 2023?

BCCI had earlier decided against sending the Indian men’s and women’s teams to the Asian Games, citing prior commitments. Bhupender Bajwa, India’s chef de mission for the Asian Games, had told the Indian Express a few days ago that the BCCI had informed him that they would not go to the event.

“We have entries in all sports except one – cricket (team) isn’t going. They said they are preoccupied. We sent around 3-4 emails to them but when we had to send entries to the organizers, they said they won’t go,” Bajwa had said.

However, in a positive turn of events, BCCI have now agreed on sending both the Men’s and Women’s teams to the Asian Games, making a u-turn from their previous stance on the matter.

What will the Indian squads look like for the Asian Games 2023?

According to the Indian Express report, since the Asian Games will be coinciding with the Men’s World Cup, BCCI is likely to send a second-string side for the Men’s competition, comprising fringe players around the Indian Men’s team.

The Women’s team is likely to be a full-strength squad comprising first-choice seniors and juniors alike, led by Harmanpreet Kaur.

The list of players selected for the Asian Games will be handed over to the Indian Olympic Association by the BCCI before June 30.

India’s cricket history at the Asian Games

If they participate, 2023 will mark the debut of the Indian cricket team at the Asian Games. Cricket has featured at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. The Indian cricket team did not participate in either of those editions.

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Cricket was not played in the 2018 Asian Games and is making a comeback in the 2023 edition. The Indian Men’s team’s participation in the 2023 Asian Games will mean that they will be fielding two sides simultaneously – at the ODI World Cup and at the Asian Games.

This has happened previously in 1998, when India simultaneously participated in the Sahara Cup in Toronto and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur; and in 2021, when a second-string side went on a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka while the Test team was in England.

The Indian Women’s team recently participated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and won the Silver medal. They would be drawing confidence from their performance in that event going into the 2023 Asian Games.