Cricket’s return to the Asian Games is already facing an off-field test. With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games approaching, India, Pakistan and other participating cricket boards have reportedly expressed concerns about the playing surface and accommodation arrangements in Japan.
The issues are significant because the cricket tournament will feature some of Asia’s leading teams, while the venue itself has limited experience of hosting international-standard cricket.
An unusual venue raises questions
The cricket matches are scheduled to be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi, a venue that was previously associated with baseball.
Although the ground has hosted cricket, the pitch has not yet built a substantial track record at the highest level. Its most notable recent exposure came during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in May.
The surface reportedly offered noticeable bounce, but concerns remain over how consistently it will behave during a major multi-nation tournament.
For teams bringing high-quality fast bowlers and batters, pitch consistency will be particularly important.
India and Pakistan among boards concerned
The Pakistan Cricket Board is understood to have raised concerns during an Asian Cricket Council meeting earlier this month. The issue subsequently became a broader discussion among cricket boards preparing for the Games.
The BCCI has also reportedly approached the Indian Olympic Association and the Asian Games organising authorities regarding the arrangements.
The concern is not simply about the pitch. The venue reportedly does not have conventional dressing-room facilities that international cricket teams would normally expect.
Hotel rooms create another problem
Accommodation has emerged as a second major concern.
Athletes are expected to share rooms, but the rooms allocated to cricket teams are reportedly small. This becomes particularly problematic for cricketers, who travel with large kit bags containing bats, protective equipment, footwear and other essential gear.
For a sport where players need adequate space to prepare and recover, the lack of room could make daily routines unnecessarily difficult.
The concern has reportedly been serious enough for organisers and cricket authorities to consider further inspections and discussions before the tournament begins.
India looking to adapt before the competition
India are not leaving everything to chance.
The Indian men’s side, captained by Shreyas Iyer, is scheduled to begin its Asian Games campaign on September 28. Before the competitive matches, the team is expected to play two matches against club sides, followed by a practice game against Japan.
Those fixtures could become especially valuable because they will give India’s players an opportunity to understand the pitch, bounce and local conditions before the tournament becomes serious.
The Indian women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, is also expected to travel to the region around September 14-15, allowing the squad additional time to settle into the conditions.
India arrive as defending champions
There is an added layer of expectation on India. The country enters the Asian Games cricket competition as the defending champion, meaning the team will be expected to challenge for another gold medal.
However, the first battle may be against unfamiliar conditions rather than a traditional rival.
A venue converted from another sporting purpose, a relatively untested pitch and questions surrounding player accommodation have created an unusual pre-tournament storyline.
What happens next?
The Asian Cricket Council is expected to inspect the arrangements, while the relevant organising authorities will need to determine whether improvements can be made before the cricket teams arrive.
For India, Pakistan and the other participating nations, the demand is straightforward: the facilities should match the standards expected by international cricketers.
With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4, there is still time for organisers to address the concerns. But with cricket’s biggest Asian names set to take the field, the quality of the pitch and off-field arrangements will remain under close scrutiny.
Key Facts and Figures
Tournament: 2026 Asian Games
Host: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Cricket venue: Korogi Athletic Park, Nisshin
Venue background: Previously used for baseball
Main pitch concern: Limited high-level cricket experience and questions over consistency
Other venue concern: Lack of conventional dressing-room facilities
Accommodation concern: Small rooms and limited space for players and cricket equipment
India men’s captain: Shreyas Iyer
India women’s captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
India men’s campaign: Starts September 28
India’s planned preparation: Two club games and a practice match against Japan
Defending cricket champions: India
The Bigger Picture
The Asian Games are supposed to provide a platform where elite athletes compete in world-class conditions. For cricket, however, the focus has unexpectedly shifted to whether the basic requirements are ready.
India and Pakistan’s involvement guarantees enormous attention, but the concerns raised by the cricket boards also highlight a wider challenge for organisers: hosting international cricket requires more than simply preparing a field.
The pitch must be reliable, dressing facilities must be appropriate and accommodation must allow players to recover and prepare properly.
With the tournament drawing closer, organisers now have a clear task — ensure that the cricket spectacle is remembered for what happens with the bat and ball, rather than what went wrong away from the field.
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