Cricket excluded from 2010 CWG

Cricket will not be a part of the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, after all.

The organisers have not heard from the Board of Control for Cricket in India in this regard and as the last date for submission of the proposals is fast approaching, chances of cricket being part of the mega event are very remote.

"We are very keen to have cricket in the 2010 Commonwealth Games but we have not heard from the BCCI in this regard," President of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi said on Friday.

"As the deadline for submission of the proposals to the Commonwealth Games Federation is December 31, I think we will have to do without cricket.

"In that case, the 2010 Commonwealth Games would have only 18 disciplines," Kalmadi said.

The CGF would have to circulate the organising committee's proposals among the 71 member nations and the final decision will be taken at the General Body Meeting on March 10 during the Melbourne Games.

"As there is a new dispensation in charge of the Board now, I am not sure where this issue stands.

"It is up to the BCCI to get clearance from the International Cricket Council if they are interested in being a part of the Commonwealth Games. They need to respond fast," he said.

Kalmadi said he had brought the subject to the notice of the new BCCI chief.

"I had written to Sharad Pawar in this regard and he said the issue would be discussed in the next BCCI Annual General Meeting.

"We do not know when that will take place so we can safely assume that cricket will not be a part of the Games," Kalmadi, who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association, said.

The cricket bodies had to decide whether full limited overs matches would be played or a Twenty20 version would form part of the Games.

On its part, the Organising Committee had identified four venues for holding cricket matches if the sport does feature at the Commonwealth Games, Kalmadi added.