Cricket will resume in Japan, where the 2026 Asian Games are set to take place in a month. Major Asian teams, including India and Pakistan, are preparing for the tournament, but concerns have arisen regarding the condition of the field, changing rooms, and athletes' accommodation before the start of the competition.
According to reports, the stadium where cricket matches will be held was previously used for baseball. Although the pitch was recently prepared for cricket, very few matches have been played on the hybrid pitch. Furthermore, hotel conditions have caused worry: some rooms are so small that players do not have enough space to stand if they unpack their sports bags.
The cricket matches within the Asian Games will take place in Nishin city, located near Nagoya, Japan, in about three weeks. Many renowned athletes from Asia will gather there. The men's Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, includes players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The women's Indian team, under Harmanpreet Kaur, will also participate in the tournament. The opening ceremony of the Asian Games is scheduled for September 19, and the cricket matches will begin on September 17. Nevertheless, leading cricket teams have already raised questions about the quality of the provided facilities before the events commence.
According to the Indian Express, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) first raised these issues at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting about two weeks ago. Following discussions among ACC members, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, it was decided that the ACC would send representatives to assess the ground and athlete accommodation conditions.
One source reported that the field is at an initial level from a cricket perspective, and there are doubts about the quality of the pitch. The field was recently renovated, and apart from the May tournament, not many matches have been held there. Concern was also expressed regarding the lack of quality changing rooms.
The Asian Games cricket matches will be held at Kōrogi Sports Park. This venue was originally built for baseball and was later adapted for cricket. The foundation for a baseball pitcher is still present on the field. This structure was prepared for cricket in March of this year. Temporary stands, capable of accommodating around 2000 spectators, are installed on the field. The hybrid pitch has a scoreboard, most of which consists of natural grass, but the surface also includes polyethylene fiber.
In May, a qualifying tournament for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier was held on this field. At that time, Edem Beers, Asian Games Operations Manager at Kōrogi Sports Park, told AFP that the pitch was expected to have high bounce. Additionally, September in Japan often sees a typhoon season, which could pose an additional challenge.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also contacted the organizers. After receiving feedback at the ACC meeting, the BCCI reached out to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Asian Games Organizing Committee. An IOA official noted that they have no role in the technical aspects of the sport and advised the BCCI to contact the organizing committee directly. Reports indicate that questions were sent to the Asian Games organizers via email, but no response has been received from them.
A second major issue raised by the cricket boards relates to player accommodation. Athletes will be housed in Nagoya, approximately 20 kilometers from the cricket ground. Unlike previous Asian Games, this Ichi-Nagoya format will not feature a traditional athletes' village. Instead, about 15,000 participants will be accommodated in three types of lodging: luxury cruise liners, game villas, and hotels. According to the Olympic Council of Asia, badminton, cricket, football, and softball players will stay in Nagoya hotels.
'No room to stand after unpacking luggage'
One official expressed concern over the size of the hotel rooms. He stated that the rooms are considered too small to accommodate two players along with their sports bags and other luggage. The official emphasized that this is a real problem: if a player unpacks their suitcase, there will not be enough space in the room to stand. Efforts are currently underway to resolve this issue.
Indian teams may travel to Nagoya on September 14 or 15. The women's cricket tournament begins on September 17, and the Indian women's team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, will start its campaign against the host Japan. The Indian men's team will play its match on September 28, giving the team time to adapt to Japanese conditions.