- By Manik Sharma
- Mon, 18 Sep 2023 02:41 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India men's and women's cricket teams are all set to make their historic debut at the Asian Games 2023 after getting the green signal by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This marks a significant decision for the Indian contingent as the cricket teams will aim to strike their first gold on the grandest continental stage.
The India cricket teams, both men and women, are riding high on their success, with the men's team recently winning the Asia Cup 2023 title. Men’s team is placed at the top position in the global ICC rankings, while the women's team is placed at fourth place in the T20 internationals.
Cricket first found its place in the Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, China. It made a return appearance in 2014 during the Incheon Games in South Korea, but was later excluded in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018. Notably, Indian cricket team have not made any appearance in the previous editions of the Games.
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Asian Games 2023 Cricket Schedule for India Men's Team:
The cricket competition at the Asian Games 2023 will employ a knockout format. The top four ranked T20 teams in Asia, including India, have secured a direct entry into the quarterfinals.
The India men's team will face one of the four teams emerging from the group stage as the table toppers. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have joined India as the other seeded teams, directly advancing to the quarterfinals.
Afghanistan, an ICC full member, will be playing against Mongolia to reach the quarterfinals. The remaining nine teams are divided into three groups, with group winners earning a spot in the quarterfinals.
India's quarter-final clash is scheduled for October 3, 2023 (6:30 a.m), at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou.
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Asian Games 2023 Cricket Schedule for India Women's Team:
The women's cricket competition echoes a similar pattern, with India securing direct entry to the quarterfinals. Among the 14 qualified teams, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka hold seeded positions.
India's women's cricket team will be in action in the quarter-final match on September 21, 2023 at 6:30 a.m.
Notably, India women’s team won a silver medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year after losing to Australia in the championship match.
India Men's Cricket Team Squad:
With the ICC Men's ODI World Cup looming on the horizon in India, the Asian Games will predominantly feature a second-string Indian squad.
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Dube, Prabhsimran Singh (wicket-keeper), Akash Deep
Standby players: Yash Thakur, Sai Kishore, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Sai Sudarsan
India Women's Cricket Team Squad:
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wicket-keeper), Anusha Bareddy
Standby players: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque
Broadcast and Live Streaming:
For those in India, the India men's and women's cricket team matches at the Asian Games 2023 will be available via Sony Sports Network, which holds the broadcast rights for the event. Additionally, cricket enthusiasts can follow the live streaming action on the Sony LIV app and website.