BCCI not keen to accept South Asian Games invitation
When the heads of South Asian Olympic associations meet in Delhi on Wednesday, they are likely to spend considerable time discussing cricket. For, the region’s most popular sport is facing the chop from this year’s South Asian Games (SAG) as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unlikely to accede to the sports ministry’s request to send a team for the multi-discipline event.
The SAG organising committee and sports ministry officials will meet to finalise the programme for the regional meet, which will be held in Guwahati and Shillong in December this year. Apart from finalising the dates, they will also be deciding the sports which will be included in 12th edition of the SAG.
Of the opinion that the inclusion of cricket would add glamour and attract sponsors, the sports ministry sent a letter to BCCI urging them to release its under-21 team for SAG. It is learnt that sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal was keen to use the event as a platform to develop cricket infrastructure in the region. The proposal was sent by the ministry following a meeting with the IOA on June 23.
However, it is learnt that the BCCI, who did not send a team for last year’s Asian Games as well, is not keen this year too. But they are yet to inform the ministry about their decision. “It is unlikely we will send a team for the South Asian Games. They did not mention if we have to send a senior team or age-group side. We have a packed schedule during that period so its tough,” a BCCI official said.
If the BCCI reply in the negative, then cricket may be omitted from the Games. “The ministry was keen as cricket is the most popular sport in South Asia and the level of competition would be high. They were of the opinion that its inclusion would popularise the Games. However, we had informed that the if the BCCI does not agree to send a team, then we won’t include cricket in the list of sports,” an IOA official said.
Cricket, in its Twenty 20 avatar, was included in the SAG programme during the last edition in Dhaka. The hosts emerged champions by beating Sri Lanka in a close final but India did not send a team back then.
