Cricket, Hockey back in focus as India plans 2030 Commonwealth Games line-up

New Delhi: The 2030 Comm-onwealth Games in India will feature around 17 sporting disciplines, according to Commonwealth Sport president Donald Rukare. Speaking here on Friday, Rukare said the final roster of events will be confirmed by mid-2027. “We should soon be able to announce a full board of about 16 to 17 sport programmes that will feature here in 2030. By the end of the first half of 2027, we should be able to give you a definite answer in terms of sports and where we start. And this will carry forward even for future CWGs,” Rukare told a media gathering.

The highlight is the possible inclusion of disciplines excluded in previous editions but hold strong emotional value for India. For Ahmedabad, the organisers have been aiming to feature a full roster which were axed from the Birmingham 2022 and won’t feature in the Glasgow edition later this year. In 2022, shooting and archery were dropped, while nine key sports including badminton, cricket, hockey, shooting, squash, table tennis and wrestling, among others have been dropped for Glasgow.

Among the disciplines likely to make the cut are men’s and women’s cricket in T20 format and hockey, two of the three “core team sports” under consideration, reflecting their popularity and commercial viability. Yogasana is also being pitched as a medal event in the traditional sports category.

“The capacity to host a wi-de range of sports in India is evident. Once we have finish-ed all the necessary consultations with the IOA, international federations and with the host organisers and, looking at what’s available, we are going to have a very vibrant, responsive programme that caters not only for what is a very important constituency here in India, but for our 74 territories,” said Rukare.