Cricket’s long-awaited return to the Olympics was celebrated on Monday, with hopes that it will become a regular fixture at the Games in the future. The sport, which boasts 2.5 billion fans worldwide and is considered a religion in the Indian sub-continent, faced two years of promotion to secure its inclusion at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The announcement came in Mumbai, the headquarters of the sport’s richest board, during the 50-overs World Cup in India.
“We are thrilled that cricket’s inclusion in the LA28 Olympic Games has been confirmed by the IOC Session today,” said International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Greg Barclay. He added, “To have the opportunity to showcase our great sport at the LA28 Games, and hopefully many Olympic Games to come, will be great for players and fans alike.”
The addition of cricket to the Olympics is not only expected to attract more viewers from South Asia but is also viewed as a significant boost for the sport’s growth beyond its traditional strongholds. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Barclay said, “We’ve got a global sport, which I think is the fastest growing global sport but getting on to the biggest sporting stage in the world, the Olympics is a massive shot in the arm for the game.”
Cricket’s return to the Olympics marks its comeback after more than a century, having made a single appearance at the 1900 Olympics. The proposed format for the sport at the Games is a six-team Twenty20 tournament for both women and men. Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley described this development as a “game-changer” for the sport, which is already among the fastest-growing in the world.
“The Olympic Games will undoubtedly increase the global reach of cricket, inspiring a whole new generation to love and play the game,” Hockley stated. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar also expressed his excitement about the prospect of cricketers sharing the Olympic village with athletes from other disciplines, calling it a “totally fantastic” experience that will allow them to interact with champions from various sports.
(Editing by Christian Radnedge)
