In a meeting held last week, member countries demanded that cricket should continue to be part of the SAG as it was in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2010, but everyone realised that it may not be easy to get the BCCI to agree.
The Union sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will do everything in their power by including cricket in the South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Guwahati and Shillong this December.
However, there is a 'catch' here too: the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has to come on board to make this a reality. Even though the government and the IOA are eager to make this happen, BCCI sources have told dna that "it might not be all that easy".
In a meeting held last week, member countries demanded that cricket should continue to be part of the SAG as it was in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2010, but everyone realised that it may not be easy to get the BCCI to agree.
It is understood that sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal is keen on developing cricket infrastructure in his home state, Assam. According to ministry plans, a Twenty20 tournament will be organised during the Games.
India and other SAG nations have been working actively to make cricket a permanent fixture in the biennial multi-sport event for future editions for the simple reason that it gives everyone, including the sponsors, great value for money.
"It's the prerogative of the host nation to include any particular discipline in the SAG. India, as a host nation, is keen on introducing cricket in the 12th edition of the Games. The BCCI has already been sent a proposal to send its team and, as per the first indication, the board is considering the proposal in all positivity. The ministry had long been mulling to include cricket in the SAG as all other participating nations namely Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan play cricket, except Bhutan. And T20 cricket is the most-watched format these days," a senior ministry official told dna on Friday.
Confirming the development, IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta said that "it would be great if the BCCI sends its team" as it will only make the SAG "popular". "The ministry and the IOA are working in that direction."
Cricket was first introduced as a discipline at the previous edition of the SAG in Dhaka in 2010. India did not send a team due to the BCCI's reluctance to be part of multi-discipline Games.
The SAG is likely to cost the government Rs 60 to 70 crore and it will see as many as 2,500 athletes from eight member countries take part.
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