Cricket wins Japanese hearts

'Cricket has been included in the 2028 Olympic Games as well. So the organising committee is very keen on including that in the 2026 Asian Games as well.'

A baseball stadium in Nagoya is set to be repurposed to host the cricket competition of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the organisers told Reuters.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has ruled out hosting cricket at an international stadium in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo, citing logistical challenges.

"The only problem with the stadium which JCA (Japan Cricket Association) had offered is the distance," OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Kumar Tiwari told Reuters ahead of the continental body's general assembly on Sunday.

"Also, if you're hosting an international tournament, you need enough hotels around, which are not there at the moment. That's why we are not considering it.

"The organising committee has proposed one of the baseball stadiums (in Nagoya) to be converted into a cricket ground. That looks much more feasible."

The OCA and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials will inspect the venue later this month and Tiwari said the Japanese organisers were keen on having cricket, which proved a major success at the Hangzhou Games last year.

"Cricket has been included in the 2028 Olympic Games as well. So the organising committee is very keen on including that in the 2026 Asian Games as well."

Cricket featured in Hangzhou but wasn't part of the 2018 Games in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia.