Rediff

Kuwait, Apr 20: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has added cricket to the 2010 Asian Games schedule after the organisation voted to include the sport at a general assembly in Kuwait earlier this week.

Cricket was last part of a major multi-sport event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the decision means it will make its Asian Games debut in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.

"India and Pakistan were the drivers... and they will come with their best teams because it will be a big competition," OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah told the Asian Cricket Council Web site.

"Asia's four Test-playing nations have committed to sending their best available teams," he added.

"Cricket will receive a major boost across Asia and in particular China, as a result of this decision," Asian Cricket Council chief executive Syed Ashraful Huq said.

"The Asian Cricket Council pledges its support to the Guangzhou Games organisers in order to make the event a success," he added.