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Australia’s cricket stars have expressed their disappointment after discovering they won’t get an opportunity to defend their gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Last week, officials confirmed the next edition of the Commonwealth Games in Scotland would be downsized to help produce a financially sustainable event, with just ten sports left on the program.
Diving and road cycling have also been axed, along with rugby sevens, while lawn bowls survived the cull.
The Australian women’s cricket team, the reigning Commonwealth Games champions having won gold in Birmingham in 2022, was informed of the decision ahead of the recent T20 World Cup.
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“Our head selector came in one day and said, ‘Got some bad news girls, the Commonwealth Games, cricket’s out,’” Australian batter Grace Harris told Fox Cricket.
“It’s just a general disappointment given how exciting and how different that experience was, not to say that it won’t come back in the future, but just disappointing would be the main emotion that went through the group.
“Obviously we were preparing for a World Cup when that happened, so we had other things on our minds.”
However, Harris saw the silver lining.
“At least they can’t take the gold medal off us,” she laughed.
“That’s one way to look at it.”
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone disheartened at cricket’s omission after the hosts were knocked out in the semi-finals by India two years ago.
“Obviously it’s quite a disappointment to miss out on the Commonwealth Games,” Ecclestone said.
“But things happen, we’re not the only sport to miss out, but things move on. We’ve got the Olympics to look forward to, which will be really cool, in 2028, so just looking ahead to that.”
After a 128-year hiatus, cricket will return to the Olympics for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
“We understand the circumstances that have led to cricket’s removal from the 2026 Commonwealth Games schedule and remain enormously excited by its inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and, we hope, Brisbane 2032,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
