In welcome news after facing the axe at the 2026 Asian Games, cricket is set to be a late inclusion in the sports programme for next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

The biennial multi-sport event started in 1959, and features around a dozen nations, but cricket only made its debut in 2017 in Malaysia. It was not part of the subsequent two SEA Games held in the Philippines and Vietnam.

But cricket made a comeback last year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with eight men’s and women’s tournaments played over four formats.

It was deemed a success, but cricket appeared set to be excluded from the next SEA Games held in several cities in Thailand, including Bangkok, from December 9-20, 2025.

Thailand has been dealing with cricket infrastructure issues and had to pull out of co-hosting the under 19 women’s World Cup, which will be entirely held in Malaysia in January and February.

But the situation is improving and cricket’s bid for inclusion has been pushed by the Asian Cricket Council – still led by powerful India boss Jay Shah until he takes over world cricket in December.

It is learned that cricket will be included at the SEA Games in Thailand, but the exact formats to be used remains unclear. Last year in Cambodia, T20s, which received international status and ranking points, and 50-over cricket were played along with unofficial formats T10 cricket and 6s – six per side with games played within 45 minutes.

There were men’s and women’s events in each format. Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand were the participating countries, while Myanmar only played in the women’s competition.

The cricket competition started almost a week ahead of the official opening ceremony on May 5 and wrapped up on May 16.

Cricket’s inclusion should prove a spur for the sport’s unexpected but remarkable rise in Thailand, where their women’s team is currently 13th in the T20I rankings and they also have coveted ODI status.

The news comes on the back of cricket’s likely exclusion at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. As I reported this week, doubts are growing with cricket facing a major battle for inclusion with logistical challenges set to be difficult to overcome.

ForbesCricket Faces Asian Games 2026 Exclusion Ahead Of Los Angeles OlympicsBy Tristan Lavalette

The next Asian Games – boasting more sports and athlete quotas than the Olympics – will be held less than two years before the Los Angeles Games, where cricket will end a 128-year Olympic exile.

The Olympic Council of Asia and Japanese organizing committee have publicly pushed for cricket’s inclusion, with a final decision expected next year.