How a baseball field in Nagoya turned into an Asian Games cricket venue

Indian women players hold the national flag after winning the final of the women’s T20I cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. (PTI photo) Nagoya: On the fringes of the cricket facility at the Korogi Athletic Park, several Sri Lankan men sat watching the India-Sri Lanka women’s final. An Australian closely watched the proceedings nearby.They were not random spectators. They were among the men who helped transform a baseball field in a public park on the outskirts of Nagoya into a cricket ground capable of hosting the best teams in Asia.Asian Games full coverage | Schedule | Medal totalThe journey began in late September last year when the decision was taken to include cricket in this year’s Asian Games. Just over ¥300 million was set aside to build the infrastructure, including temporary stands with a capacity of 2,500 spectators.Korogi was chosen because of the size of the facility. The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) also had a head start when it signed a memorandum of understanding with Sri Lankan cricket in March 2024, paving the way for the involvement of Sri Lankan curators.At the center of the operation was Jarrad Shearer, an Australian who has been living in Japan for the past 30 years.“When it was decided that cricket would be part of the Asian Games, Alex Miyaji, CEO of the JCA, approached me for the role because I had played some cricket back home in Perth and could speak Japanese,” Shearer, sports manager in the planning section of the organizing committee, told TOI.The transformation was no small task. The existing facility consisted of three baseball diamonds, with tree lines defining the playing surfaces. The first task was to clear the trees and level the terrain.“We did the pitch and the pitch at the same time. While we dug the hole to build the pitch, we laid the outfield. So we created one hybrid goal and four turf goals,” said Shearer, who is also a Japanese translator by profession.Gamini de Silva, former curator of Bangladesh’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, and Asitha Wijesinghe, curator of Pallekele International Stadium in Sri Lanka, have come on board. They were joined by several Japanese residents of Sri Lankan origin who had experience with the ground forces.“While the four ground men are away, Gamini and Asitha have been taking turns here to oversee the preparations,” Shearer said.However, the construction of the playground was one of the biggest challenges.“The construction of the pitch was interesting because it was done by a Japanese company who knew nothing about grass wickets. So our planning and instructions had to be spot on,” he said.The pitches were built from layers of gravel, washed river bed soil and 15 cm of local Japanese clay.“When we tested the clay, we were informed that it was very similar to Pakistani clay,” Shearer said.The surface underwent its first serious test in May during the World Cup T20 East Asia-Pacific Qualifier, when six matches were played on a hybrid wicket.The plan was to use grass wickets for the women’s competition, but heavy rain disrupted the plan.“The heavy rain a couple of weeks ago disrupted our plans and we couldn’t get the grass wickets ready in time. But we are confident that the men’s tournament will be held on these wickets,” said Shearer.After Oct. 3, when the men’s final is scheduled to be played, the facility will in all likelihood revert to its original identity as a baseball field for local kids.But for now, the men who transformed it into an Asian Games cricket venue can stand aside and be proud of what they have created.