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Commonwealth Games 2022 Begin in England Today

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Commonwealth Games 2022 Begin in England Today
28 Jul 2022
5 min read

News Synopsis

The 21st Commonwealth Games today kick-started at Birmingham in United Kingdom. After Manchester in 2002 and London in 1934, England is hosting the Olympics for the third time this year.

As many as 72 teams are competing over 19 different categories, representing 54 countries and 18 territories, this year. Three new sports have been added to the schedule: women's T20 cricket, 3X3 basketball, and 3X3 wheelchair basketball. There are more than 1,800 medals up for grabs.

At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, India's top athletes include PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, and the hockey, table tennis, and cricket teams. At the 2018 CWG in Gold Coast, India took home 66 medals in total, including 26 gold, 20 silver, and 20 bronze. However, 16 of those medals were earned in shooting, which will not be an event this time around. India won medals in the following sports in 2018: shooting, athletics, badminton, boxing, para powerlifting, squash, table tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling.

The Indian women's cricket team is taking part in the most prestigious sporting event for the first time. The Harmanpreet Kaur-captained Indian women's cricket squad had arrived in Birmingham on July 25 to compete at the Commonwealth Games 2022. Team India's first match will be against Meg Lanning's group on Thursday. They are in Group A with Australia, Pakistan, and Barbados (July 29). The Indian women's cricket team is taking part in the most prestigious sporting event for the first time.

Meanwhile, Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic champion in javelin throw, has expressed his disappointment for not being able to defend his title at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. Chopra has been pulled out of the games because of an injury.