WEBDESK: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to include cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, over a century after it’s last appearance in 1900. According to the committee, six men’s and six women’s cricket teams will participate at the tournament.
The tournament at the Olympics will follow the T20 format. Each of the men’s and women’s category will feature six teams, with a player quota of 90 for each category which means that each team will have 15 players. The venues for the Olympic cricket matches are yet to be decided.
Although the final qualification is yet to take place, the race is expected to be highly competitive. As the host nation, the USA is likely to secure automatic qualification which leaves 5 other spots up for grabs.
Currently, the Pakistan men’s team is ranked 7th while the women’s team is ranked 8th according to the latest ICC rankings. India, Australia, England, New Zealand, and the West Indies lead the ICC T20I men’s rankings, while Australia, England, New Zealand, India, and South Africa dominate the women’s rankings. These countries will be strong contenders although the ratings might change as we get closer to the event.
Since only the top 6 teams will participate at the Olympics, unless their ranking in both men’s and women’s cricket improves, Pakistan could miss out the Olympics altogether. With gold up for grabs, teams in the lower ranks will focus on climbing the standings to secure their spots.
The plan to include cricket began in August 2021 when the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally submitted a proposal for its inclusion. After discussions with the 2028 Olympics organising committee, the proposal was approved in October 2023.
Alongside cricket, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will feature squash, flag football, lacrosse, and baseball/softball. These additions bring the total number of medal events to 351, an increase of 22 over Paris 2024. However, the core athlete cap remains at 10,500, with 698 new athletes set to compete in these five new sports.
Read more: ‘Whoever lifts trophy, win is Pakistan’s’: PSL 10 captains addresses press conference
