Delhi: In the Commonwealth Games 2022, the Indian women’s cricket team performed brilliantly and won the silver medal. He had to face defeat against Australia in the final match. In that edition, cricket returned after a long gap of 24 years, due to which there was a lot of enthusiasm among sports lovers, but now cricket will once again not be a part of the program in the 2026 Commonwealth Games. With this decision a total of nine sports have been kept out of the competition.
Also read: Sri Lanka’s tension increased before the test series against India, dreaded batsman got injured
Changed format of 2026 Commonwealth Games
The hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games was earlier handed over to the Australian state of Victoria. However, the Victorian government withdrew from hosting the event in July 2023 after the cost of the event increased several times more than expected. Due to increasing expenses, there was a crisis in organizing the games.
At such a time, Glasgow, Scotland came forward and took the responsibility of hosting. Keeping in mind the limited time and low budget, the organizers adopted a simple and practical model, so that the competition could be saved from cancellation.
Big cut in number of games to reduce expenses
This time the organizers have drastically reduced the number of games in order to control the budget. In the previous edition, where 19 sports were included, now only 10 sports have been included. Competitions will also be organized within existing sports complexes and limited resources, thereby reducing additional construction and maintenance costs.
Along with cricket, many popular sports were also out.
Apart from cricket, many popular sports like hockey, badminton, table tennis, wrestling and rugby sevens will also not be a part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. This decision will also affect those countries where the popularity of these sports is very high.
Why was cricket removed?
Organizing cricket demands more resources than many other sports. For this, big grounds, special type of pitch, constant maintenance of the ground and arrangements for big teams have to be made. Due to all these reasons the cost of organizing the event increases significantly.
The Games are being organized in Glasgow under a limited budget, so the organizers have given priority to such games which can be easily organized in the already existing indoor arena and track facilities. For this reason, cricket has been kept out of the program this time.
Also read- Abhishek Sharma on the threshold of creating history against Zimbabwe, will get entry in special club only after scoring so many runs.
The first entry of cricket was in 1998
The first event of cricket in the Commonwealth Games was held in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. After this it remained out of the competition for a long time and returned as the Women’s T20 competition in 2022. The Indian women’s team took great advantage of that opportunity and won the silver medal. However, in 2026, cricket lovers will not get a chance to see the thrill of this game in the Commonwealth Games.
FAQ
Why was cricket removed from Commonwealth Games 2026?
Due to the limited budget and existing sports facilities in Glasgow, organizers prioritized games that could be held with fewer resources. Cricket requires large grounds, pitches and additional arrangements, so it was excluded.
How many sports will be included in Commonwealth Games 2026?
This time only 10 sports have been included in the 2026 Commonwealth Games. In the last edition, 19 games were organised.
How was the performance of the Indian women’s cricket team in the Commonwealth Games 2022?
The Indian women’s cricket team performed brilliantly and won the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022. In the final match, she had to face defeat from the Australian women’s cricket team.
Comments are closed.