Fact Check: Cricket is not returning to 2022 Asian Games after 11 years

Since Thursday morning there have been widespread reports of cricket making a return to the Asian Games field after a long wait of 11 years. While this claim has been circulated widely by cricket enthusiasts in the country, it turns out to be false.

Yes, cricket is not making a return to the Asian Games after 11 years as is being claimed.

Instead, the sport will be seen played at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games after a gap of 8 years.

Interestingly, the first time cricket was played at the Asian Games was also in China during the 2010 edition in Guangzhou. The sport was also played four years later in 2014 at Incheon, South Korea. It was played in both men's and women's section during both the editions.

Cricket, however, made a brief exit from the Asian Games as the sport was not played at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.

The 2022 Asian Games, thus, marks the return of cricket to its fold after 8 years and not 11. This is also the third time that cricket will be played at the Asian Games.

Neither the Indian men's team nor the women's team have ever competed in cricket at the Asian Games.

Bangladesh clinched the men's gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games, while Pakistan walked away with the silver. In 2014, Sri Lanka claimed the men's gold while Pakistani women defended their title at Incheon.