Cricket is one of the most entertaining sports in the world and it has reached the roots of almost every continent now. If compared with other team sports, cricket requires strength, stamina, and a well-planned technical advantage to win. For more than 200 years, the sport has existed in the world and has given us some of the best moments in sports.
Cricket has recently become part of the Olympics, which are scheduled to take place in 2028 in Los Angeles. It is a huge achievement for the sport and the players who are part of it.
However, the sport received bad news recently as it was omitted from the Commonwealth Games 2026, which are scheduled to take place in 2026 in Glasgow. It is not good news for cricket because being part of a prestigious event like the Commonwealth Games helps the sport to grow in the right direction.
Since 1998, Cricket has been an optional sport in the Commonwealth Games. It first became part of the event in 1998 that took place in Malaysia. South Africa and Australia reached the finals, and the Proteas defeated the Aussies to win the gold medal.
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Cricket Medal Table at Commonwealth Games
Men
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Women
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | India | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The Commonwealth Games Federation, which is the administrative body of the Commonwealth Games, has decided to move away from the sport and we won’t see our favourite sport being played at Glasgow. In this article, we dive deep into the primary reasons why cricket will be missing at Glasgow in 2026.
Measures for Cost-Cutting
According to recent reports, the primary reason for the omission of Cricket from the Commonwealth Games 2026 is cost-cutting. Since the day the Commonwealth Games Federation started the arrangements for the event in Glasgow, they were under pressure to reduce and control the cost of the event.
They have taken multiple steps to keep the financials under control but in the end, in order to reduce the cost, the authorities have to take the step and axe Cricket and a few other sports from the tournament. By removing sports like cricket, which require significant infrastructure and logistical arrangements, the organizers aim to save substantial costs.
Focus on Core Sports
Cricket is an optional sport when it comes to the Commonwealth Games. It became part of the event in 1998 and till 2022 it was not part of the event. The core sports are the ones that define the identity of the Commonwealth Games. Cricket has a global appeal but the authorities wanted to focus more on the core sports that are the main attraction of the event.
These sports have a historical association with the Commonwealth Games and the authorities only want these sports to be in the spotlight in Glasgow. These traditional sports include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball.
These sports have been part of the Commonwealth Games since its first edition in 1930. Cricket has its own tournament which is organized by ICC but these sports need more attention because they are always on priority in every edition of the Commonwealth Games. In 2026, cricket is not a part of the event but since it’s an optional sport, it might be back in the next edition.
