The 2006 Qatar Asian Games in Doha will host a record 40 disciplines, including cricket for the first time.

The format of the cricket tournament is yet to be finalised but Randhir Singh, general secretary of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), told reporters on Thursday that a six-nation event had been approved in principle.

"Cricket is set to make its debut," Singh said.

"Qatar will talk to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Jagmohan Dalmiya to draw out a final programme. We expect all the participating countries to send their best teams."

The other new discipline added to the Games is chess. The last Games in Pusan, South Korea in 2002 had featured 38 sports.

Singh said Guangzhao in China, the lone bidder for the 2010 Asiad, had been awarded the Games in a meeting in Doha last week and New Delhi was a strong contender for the 2014 event.

The Indian capital was chosen last year to stage the 2010 Commonwealth Games and announced its decision earlier this year to bid for 2016 Olympics.

"India is aiming to progress from the Commonwealth Games to the Asian Games to bringing the Olympics here for the first time in 2016," Singh said.

Athens and Beijing will host the next Summer Olympics in 2004 and 2008. The 2012 hosts will be decided next year.