Commonwealth Games
When India played cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
Here's a throwback to when the Indian men's team participated in cricket at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur CWG.
Sachin Tendulkar at the 1998 Commonwealth Games (Source: DNA India)
Before the Harmanpreet Kaur-led women's team aims high at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where women's cricket is making a first-time appearance, let's take a look at when men were part of the cricket event in 1998 at the Commonwealth Games.
While the inclusion of men's cricket in the Kuala Lumpur games was a great bid for the sport getting added to the likes of Olympics and CWG, the 1998 edition remains as the only time the men's format of the game was part of the Commonwealth Games.
The format was of 50 overs, but the event was never given the One-Day International (ODI) status. The scorching heat and the lack of VIP treatment that they were usually used to was something the cricketers had to be content with.
The temperature soar so high that India's Amay Khurasiya had to be taken off the field on a stretcher in one match, such were the conditions.
Speaking about India, the second-string team with a smattering of superstars like Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and captain Ajay Jadeja, had an uncharacteristic campaign as they finished ninth in the event.
Simultaneously, India was committed to a bilateral series with Pakistan which was taking place in Canada. Hence, both the neighbours had decided to send their B-teams, of sorts, to the Commonwealth games.
India was put in a group with Canada, Australia, and Antigua and Barbuda. The men in blue were able to get the better of Canada, but the mighty Australia defeated them. India's match against Antigua and Barbuda was washed out due to rain as the men in blue finished a lowly third in Group B behind the Aussies and the Caribbean team and failed to qualify for the knockouts.
