NEW DELHI: The 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (NDCGOC) is toying with the idea of re-introducing cricket in the Games' schedule.

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) giving its reluctant approval to the Twenty20 format under pressure from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the NDCGOC Chairman Suresh Kalmadi revived the idea of introducing cricket as a discipline in the Commonwealth Games.

``The situation has changed after the BCCI approved Twenty20 cricket,'' Kalmadi said of NDCGOC giving up the idea of having cricket in the 2010 itinerary earlier this year.

``The ICC is keen to have cricket in the Commonwealth Games, but it all depends on the BCCI whether it gives its support to the idea,'' Kalmadi said after the NDCGOC and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the organising committee to work on various issues in the run-up to and the organisation of the Commonwealth Games.

Cricket was a medal sport in only one edition, the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games, but was later removed from the itinerary.

``It was difficult to have 50-overs-a-side match in any multi-sport event so we had proposed Twenty20 matches,'' Kalmadi added.

15 disciplines

So far 15 disciplines have been confirmed for the 2010 Games, while on India's request three more — tennis, archery and billiards and snooker — could be added.

The final decision on this will be taken at the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Executive Board meeting in Kuala Lumpur this November.

Though this will be CGF's final meeting as regards to finalising the disciplines for 2010, the NDCGOC is hoping for inclusion of cricket on the basis of it having already taken approval for 20 disciplines.

"If something concrete happens before the November meeting it will be good, but we can still work out to have cricket in the itinerary,'' said Kalmadi.

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