New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi, it seems, does not have much liking for cricket, but at the same time, is quite eager to cash in on the popularity of the game in order to make the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India a success.

Speaking in the capital on Friday during a function to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and the Commonwealth Games organising committee, Kalmadi said it was a golden opportunity for the corporate sector to play a new role in Indian sports.

The IOA president said: “The corporate sector has been mainly backing cricket these days. There are only eight countries which play cricket whereas there are 220 countries involved in Olympic sports. It is time the corporate sector looks into this factor.”

Ironically, only a few minutes later, Kalmadi, while answering a query by the mediapersons, said that he has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to include cricket in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. So much so, he said he was ready to accommodate cricket in the Games even if the ICC gives its nod after November, the deadline for including any new discipline in the 2010 Games.

“I have asked the ICC to include Twenty20 cricket in the Commonwealth Games,” Kalmadi said. “The ICC was keen to have cricket as part of the CWG. But at that time, the BCCI was not in favour of this particular form of cricket. Now that BCCI has agreed to take part in the Twenty20 World Cup, I feel they won’t object to cricket being a part of Commonwealth Games.”

Asked if the ICC approval comes after the Commonwealth Games federation meeting in Kuala Lumpur in November, the IOA chief said: “It won’t be a problem. We have taken approval for 20 disciplines. At the moment there are 15 sports and three more (archery, tennis and billiards and snooker) could be included after the November meeting. We will have place for cricket.”

On being asked why he has been showing so much eagerness for cricket, Kalmadi said: “I am not eager. I have just said if ICC wants, they can join the Commonwealth Games.”