Indian women’s cricket team pose with their silver medals at the Commonwealth Games 2022. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The 2026 Commonwealth Games begin on Thursday in Glasgow, Scotland. However, fans will notice that several popular sports, including cricket. Apart from cricket, hockey, badminton and wrestling, are also missing from this year’s programme.The number of sports has been reduced from 19 at the 2022 Birmingham Games to just 10 in Glasgow. The decision has also affected India’s medal hopes, as many of the country’s strongest events have been dropped.

Why is cricket not part of Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow?

Cricket was dropped from the Glasgow Games mainly because of financial and logistical reasons.The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally awarded to Victoria, Australia. However, the state government withdrew as host in 2023 because of rising costs. Glasgow was later confirmed as the replacement host in September 2024, leaving organisers with limited time to prepare.To keep the Games affordable and sustainable, organisers reduced the number of sports from 19 to 10.

Has cricket ever been part of the Commonwealth Games?

Yes. Cricket made its Commonwealth Games debut at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.The competition featured only the men’s ODI format, with 16 teams taking part. South Africa, led by Shaun Pollock, won the gold medal after defeating Australia in the final. New Zealand claimed the bronze medal by beating Sri Lanka.The West Indies were represented by three separate teams — Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Jamaica. India also sent a split national team, while Scotland and Northern Ireland represented the British Isles.Cricket returned after a gap of 24 years at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, this time as a women’s T20 tournament with eight teams.Australia, captained by Meg Lanning, won the gold medal. India finished with silver, while New Zealand secured the bronze.

Which sports have been dropped from Commonwealth Games 2026?

Nine sports from Birmingham 2022 have been removed from the Glasgow programme:

The 10 sports at Glasgow 2026 are:

Big blow for India’s medal hopes

The decision is a major setback for India. India finished fourth at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games with 61 medals. Half of those medals came in sports that are no longer part of the Games.India won:

These six sports alone contributed 30 medals to India’s overall tally. Shooting and archery, two other events where India has traditionally performed well, were already missing from the programme.