The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been diligently working towards introducing the sport to the Olympics for quite some time.
Cricket is highly likely to make a comeback to the Olympics after a 128-year hiatus in the 2028 edition to be held in Los Angeles, according to a report by The Guardian.
If cricket is included in the Games, it will be played in the T20 format, with both men's and women's teams competing for the coveted gold medal. The top five teams, as per the International Cricket Rankings (ICC), will fiercely battle it out for the ultimate prize.
The report highlights that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stands to gain significant financial benefits from this development. Broadcasting rights in India for the 2024 Paris Olympics are estimated to be around £15.6m (Rs 165 crore), but this figure could skyrocket to £150m (Rs 1585 crore) for the 2028 Olympics if cricket is included.
"Commercial arrangements" are said to be the only "stumbling block" currently. That means it's now crucial that the 2024 men's T20 World Cup which will be jointly hosted by the US and the West Indies is a success.
Recent reports suggesting that it might be relocated to England due to infrastructural issues were denied by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been diligently working towards introducing the sport to the Olympics for quite some time. This endeavor involved persuading the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to come under the jurisdiction of India's National Anti-Doping Agency, an affiliate of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Additionally, the ICC has been addressing concerns raised by the ECB. The inclusion of cricket in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 was seen as a positive indication of progress in this regard.
If successful, this development will not only expand the sport's reach to a wider audience but also potentially act as a catalyst for its growth in the United States.
Cricket made a brief appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics, featuring a single match between teams from Great Britain and France. However, neither country took the game seriously. The British team consisted of a touring club known as Devon and Somerset Wanderers, while the French team comprised local club cricketers.
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