{
  "id": 5523125,
  "title": "65m boundaries, hybrid pitch: Inside the new venue for India’s Asian Games campaign",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/65m-boundaries-hybrid-pitch-inside-the-new-venue-for-indias-asian",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-04T08:16:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/65m-boundaries-hybrid-pitch-inside-081600347.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chennai - India's quest for a cricket gold at the Asian Games will kick off against Pakistan in the quarterfinals on September 28, possibly at the newly built Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The venue has been transformed from three baseball grounds, presenting a larger playing area compared to Hangzhou's Asiad grounds, where the shortest boundary measured 65 meters, approximately 10 meters longer than its predecessor.\n\nThe Asian Cricket Council collaborated with Sri Lanka Cricket, who dispatched Asitha Wijayasinghe, curator of Kandy's Pallekele International Stadium, to aid in pitch preparation. Given Pallekele's reputation for high-scoring matches, it's likely that the Nisshin ground will also see a significant number of runs. Four turf pitches and a hybrid pitch, combining natural clay and synthetic fibers, will facilitate quicker gameplay and better resource utilization.\n\nThe local clay used for the pitches offers both pace for fast bowlers and grip for spinners. Yet, one of the major concerns for the organizers is the potential threat of typhoons, which are frequent in Japan during the Asiad window. To address this, the ground features a reinforced sand base to enhance water absorption; however, it's acknowledged that it may not match the best drainage systems worldwide due to the limited budget for construction.",
  "summary": "India's cricket team is set to defend its gold medal in the quarterfinals on September 28. The matches will take place in a newly constructed cricket facility in Nisshin, Japan, promising longer boundaries and hybrid pitches that enhance gameplay. The pitch preparation was overseen by Sri Lanka Cricket's curator, ensuring a high-scoring environment. Additionally, precautions against typhoons have…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "‘Call it classist’: Cricket can be dangerous in Asian Games, says former India batter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/call-it-classist-cricket-can-be-dangerous-in-asian-games-says-former",
        "published": "2026-09-04T05:30:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "The long game: Inside MLB's big bet on India's baseball future",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/the-long-game-inside-mlbs-big-bet-on-indias-baseball-future",
        "published": "2026-09-04T08:09:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}