Cricket may return to the Olympics in the Los Angeles Olympics Games, as the T20 format is likely to be included in the multiple-nation game in 2028. According to reports, Men’s and Women’s T20 cricket competition is set to be included in the next Olympics.
The inclusion of cricket at the Olympics will help the sport go beyond a few traditional centres. Cricket was played as part of the Olympics in Paris in 1900. England and France are the only competing teams and would possibly return after 128 years during the 2028 Olympics in the USA.
An eight-team women’s tournament is set to be played in the Twenty20 format at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Cricket has also been part of the Asian Games at Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014 with both men’s and women’s T20 competitions held and will return in 2023, where heavyweights India and Pakistan will participate in the continental event.
“It would also see the realization of a long-term aim at the ICC, past indifference to the Olympics having been replaced by a desire to expand the sport globally in recent years and resulting in a women’s T20 tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,” according to report in News18.
Cricket is one of nine shortlisted sports for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Games alongside baseball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and motorsport. According to reports, that five top teams might participate in the games with the decision regarding participation to be made soon.
The inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Games will certainly affect the broadcasting media rights sales, as the inclusion of cricket would certainly increase the value of the game in the next Olympics, especially in India.
India will be participating in the Asian Games 2023. Both men’s and women’s tournaments will be held in the event. Only three times in the history of the Asian Games has cricket been played, with the most recent game taking place in Incheon in 2014 with India not participating.
Before this edition, cricket was last played at the Asian Games in 2014. The players who have performed well in the Indian Premier League and domestic cricket are expected to be given the opportunity in the absence of the key Indian players in the team. India will be the favourite to win gold in both the men’s and women’s events.