BREAKING NEWS
Cricket’s Historic Return to the Olympics: Formal Announcement Expected
Cricket enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly anticipating a momentous event – the return of cricket to the Summer Olympics. This significant development, happening after a gap of 128 years, is expected to be formally announced during the upcoming International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai. The decision to include cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has been made by LA28 and has received a recommendation to the IOC.
Cricket’s Journey Back to the Olympics
While there hasn’t been an official statement from LA28, the International Cricket Council (ICC), or the IOC as of yet, the cricket community is buzzing with excitement about the potential announcement. The IOC session is scheduled for October 15 and 16, following the IOC executive board meeting in Mumbai on October 14 and 15.
Initially left out of the list of 28 sports finalized by the IOC in February, cricket’s Olympic aspirations gained a boost when it was shortlisted along with eight other sports for IOC consideration. These included baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and motorsport.
In their presentation to LA28, the ICC proposed a six-team T20 event for both men and women. The participating teams would comprise the top six ranked sides in the ICC’s men’s and women’s T20 rankings as of a specific cutoff date. The choice of the T20 format was influenced by the emphasis placed by LA28 and the IOC on having a world championship, a compact duration, and significant spectator interest.
Details regarding the structure of the cricket tournament have yet to be finalized, as discussions on this matter were ongoing until recently.
Cricket, a sport played by nearly half the world’s population, has only graced the Olympic stage once, 128 years ago during the 1900 Paris Games. On that occasion, a single cricket match was played, with Great Britain emerging victorious over hosts France to secure the gold medal. The game spanned two days and featured four innings, reminiscent of a first-class cricket fixture. The impending return of cricket to the Olympics in 2028 marks a historic milestone for the sport on the global sporting arena.