Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji confirmed that cricket teams will receive hotel accommodation at the upcoming Asian Games, responding to concerns over venue arrangements and stretched facilities.
Cricketers competing at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan will be accommodated in hotels, even as athletes from other sports are housed in cruise ships and temporary wooden container rooms, according to Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO of the Japan Cricket Association.
Concerns had been raised over accommodation and infrastructure for the Games, which take place in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19. With no dedicated athletes' village, overall accommodation is severely stretched due to the athlete count ballooning to 17,000—compared to around 11,000 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A Sri Lankan official previously noted that several top Asian teams held doubts regarding the facilities.
Cricket remains a minor sport in Japan, and matches will be played at Korogi Sports Park, a converted baseball field located 40 minutes by train from central Nagoya. Reports previously highlighted that tents would be used as dressing rooms with distant washroom facilities. Media reports in India indicated the Indian cricket board was dissatisfied with the setup and considered sending a second-string squad after originally selecting a 15-player team captained by Shreyas Iyer and featuring 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Addressing these issues, Miyaji stated that Japanese organizers had only 17 months to prepare from scratch. He confirmed that the Japan Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had discussed lodging for a long time and secured hotels for participating cricketers. "Many other sports are being accommodated in much more limited facilities such as a cruise ship or container hotels," Miyaji said, adding that despite being temporary, the venue facilities will offer a comfortable space for players and officials.
Miyaji also praised the quality of the playing field, which is being prepared by the curator of Sri Lanka's 35,000-capacity Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. "From what I have seen, the playing surface and field will be the best seen in cricket's inclusion in the Asian Games," he said.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.