Cricket is set to make a comeback in the Olympics. The sport, which made its Olympic debut in the 1900 Paris Games, is poised to return in LA28, over 123 years since its initial appearance. The Olympic berth represents a significant achievement for the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has been diligently pursuing Olympic inclusion for the past few years.
This development follows the official proposal submitted by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which included cricket in the Twenty20 format, along with baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash, to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for potential inclusion in the 2028 Olympic sports program. The formal approval is expected to be granted during the IOC session in Mumbai next week.
The ICC immediately welcomed the LA28 decision. “The International Cricket Council (ICC) is delighted at the decision of the organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics to recommend cricket for inclusion at the Games” the ICC said in a statement on Monday.
ICC Chairman Greg Barclay said: “We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics. “Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century. I’d like to thank LA28 for their support during the new sport evaluation process over the last two years and we look forward to the final decision being taken at the IOC Session, in India, during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next week.”
