Five-star Room Shortage Hits Asian Games

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Asian Cricket Council officials and member boards have raised concerns about inadequate accommodation and logistical arrangements for cricket players at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, citing a shortage of luxury hotel rooms and subpar dressing facilities. These issues have led to uncertainty over team participation and preparations, with key boards like India considering fielding a weaker squad amidst ongoing discussions to resolve the problems before the September 17 tournament start.

Concerns have been raised over accommodation and logistical arrangements for cricket players at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, according to officials from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and participating member boards. The men's and women's T20 cricket tournaments are scheduled to begin on September 17 at a newly constructed cricket ground in Nisshin, Japan.

Prakash Schaffter, secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket, confirmed in Colombo on Monday that the ACC executive committee discussed the arrangements during a recent meeting in Bangkok. He noted a particular shortage of five-star hotel rooms, which are typically provided to cricketers at such events, due to the limited availability of luxury hotels in the host city. Additional concerns highlighted include the use of tents as dressing rooms and the distance of washroom facilities from the playing area.

Despite these issues, Schaffter stated that the cricket ground itself had been deemed suitable for matches. "There are some concerns with regard to the quality of accommodation being provided and also with regard to the logistics," he said, but emphasized hopes that the tournament would proceed as planned.

Reports from Indian media have indicated dissatisfaction within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the overall arrangements for the games, prompting speculation that India might field a second-string team. India has named a 15-member squad led by Shreyas Iyer, which includes emerging player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) acknowledged the concerns and stated that member boards of the ACC are collectively assessing the situation. Shahriar Nafees, BCB's cricket operations manager, affirmed that the Asian Cricket Council is primarily responsible for managing the cricket segment of the Asian Games and that decisions on logistical and facility matters will be made collectively by the ACC member boards.

As preparations continue, stakeholders remain focused on ensuring the smooth conduct of the cricket tournaments within the broader multi-sport event, which aims to showcase the growing prominence of cricket in Asia.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.