Sports

BCCI Agrees to Official Asian Games Hotels for Cricket Team

By Sabi Hussain

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed that its cricketers will stay in the hotels designated by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games organisers, dropping earlier objections over accommodation. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed on Tuesday that the players will not be moved to an alternative hotel. Although concerns had been raised about twin-sharing rooms, Shukla said the board would try to arrange individual rooms for the cricketers within the official hotels. "Whatever they (organisers) are providing, we are staying there. We have photographs and videos of the accommodation and, though it is not five-star, it is good and comfortable. The options were to make them stay in Osaka or Tokyo, but that's too far away," Shukla said during the send-off ceremony for the Asian Games-bound Indian contingent in New Delhi. The men's cricket team has been assigned the three-star APA Hotel Nagoya Ekimae, while the women's team will stay at the four-star Meitetsu Grand Hotel — both below the five-star accommodations Indian cricketers typically receive during overseas tours. Shukla noted that the more pressing concern had been the quality of playing facilities. "The big issue was the ground, wickets and dressing rooms. The Asian Cricket Council's (ACC) team visited Nagoya and is now satisfied with the facilities," he said. This development follows an earlier report citing Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer, who said the cricket team would not be given special treatment, with the IOA stating it would not make separate arrangements exclusively for cricket. Shukla also denied rumours that India would field a weaker squad for the Games. "It is a complete rumour that we are sending our 'B' team. Our full contingent is going with the most talented players, and I hope we will definitely win," he said. IOA president PT Usha confirmed that the accommodation dispute had been resolved, stating, "There's no problem and everything is sorted." India are the defending champions in both the men's and women's cricket events at the Asian Games.