PV Sindhu, Manpreet Singh lead Indian contingent at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

BIRMINGHAM: Olympic medalist P V Sindhu and the men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh led the Indian contingent as the Commonwealth Games 2022 opening ceremony was held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Thursday.

Neeraj Chopra was the designated flag-bearer for India in the opening ceremony, but he suffered an injury during the World Athletics Championships, where he won the silver medal. He had to pull out of the CWG 2022 due to the injury.

Some prominent names in the squad besides Olympic medallists P V Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya. Defending CWG champions Manika Batra and Vinesh Phogat as well as 2018 Asian Games Gold medallists Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Hima Das and Amit Panghal are also part of the contingent.

India will be represented by 215 athletes who will take part in 141 events across 19 sporting disciplines.

The Women’s T20I cricket is making its debut at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this year, with the top eight teams competing for the gold medal.

Indian women’s cricket team will make their CWG debut against Australia on Friday. While the women’s hockey team will take on Ghana.

More than 5,000 athletes are ready for action in the English city of Birmingham from Friday at a Commonwealth Games lacking many track and field superstars but still bragging elite performers.

There will be 1,875 medals up for win across all the sporting events, and for the first time ever in a global, multi-sport event, there are more women’s events than men’s. There are 136 gold medals for women athletes in the Commonwealth Games, while there are 134 gold medals for men’s athletes.

India won 66 medals in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. India’s best performance in the Commonwealth Games came in 2010. In 2010, India won 101 medals, including 38 gold medals. (ANI)