SHAKING UP THE BATTING ORDER

Inexperienced Mongolian team defies the odds and grabs spotlight at Asiad's cricket tourney

With the sport's continental powers set to jostle for gold, an unheralded Mongolian women's team has stolen the show as cricket returns to the Asiad.

A hugely popular team sport in South Asian countries, cricket is back on the Asian Games program following a nine-year absence, having been dropped from the 2018 edition in Jakarta.

Three from the powerhouse quartet of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are virtually guaranteed to occupy the podium places, however debutant Mongolia's journey to the games against long odds has supplied an inspirational subplot at the tourney.