The venue for the cricket competition at the upcoming Asian Games 2023 has been unveiled. The Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field will play host to all the thrilling cricket matches, accommodating both the men’s and women’s categories. Scheduled to take place from September 19 to October 8, this esteemed venue will witness talented athletes vying for the prestigious gold medals, with two up for grabs, one in the men’s cricket and another in the women’s.
The women’s cricket competition is scheduled to commence on September 19 and conclude on September 28 during the Asian Games 2023. On the other hand, the men’s cricket competition will kick off on September 28 and run until October 8. Both captivating events will adopt the fast-paced and exciting T20 format, adding an extra level of intensity and entertainment to the matches.
Also read: Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co to directly play QFs at Asian Games 2023
On Friday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the squads for both the men’s and women’s teams participating in the upcoming events. Leading the men’s team will be Ruturaj Gaikwad, supported by a talented lineup including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and several others. Standby players such as Yash Thakur, Sai Kishore, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, and Sai Sudharsan have also been named.
Rinku, whose omission from the T20 series in the Caribbean had raised questions, has made it into the final squad. Other notable selections are Dube, Jaiswal, Varma, and Prabhsimran Singh, who have been chosen based on their impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dube, in particular, had a breakthrough season, contributing to Chennai Super Kings’ record-equalling fifth IPL title.
Meanwhile, the women’s team will be led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana serving as her deputy. The squad includes Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque, and Pooja Vastrakar on the standby list. Additionally, young pacemaker Titas Sadhu, who showcased her skills in India’s title-winning campaign at the inaugural U-19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa, has been added to the squad.
However, she is not part of the current Indian squad touring Bangladesh. Rookie spinners Minnu Mani and Anusha Bareddy, who are currently representing India, have been included in the squad. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who was previously dropped from the Bangladesh tour due to fitness concerns, has also been reinstated.
Cricket featured in the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, but India did not participate during those editions. After being excluded from the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta, cricket has made a comeback in the program for the Hangzhou Games, originally scheduled for last year but postponed due to China’s zero-Covid policy.
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