Cricket Will Be Featured in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

Cricket, a sport that has captured the attention of spectators worldwide, may soon make a comeback to the Olympic stage. Even though cricket has recently competed at the Asian and Commonwealth Games, fans are extremely excited about the possibility of seeing the sport in the Los Angeles Olympics (LA28) in 2028.

The recommendation by the organisers of the LA28 event to add cricket to the list of sports that will be submitted for approval to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a big step forward, even though it is not yet official. It will be cricket's first Olympic appearance in over a century if this recommendation comes to pass.

The history of cricket at the Olympics began in 1900, when England defeated France in a one-off game in Paris to win the gold medal. Cricket has been absent from the Olympic arena ever since, but a comeback appears to be imminent.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has received a formal proposal from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games proposing the addition of new sports to the 2028 Olympic schedule. Squash, Flag Football, Twenty20 Cricket, Baseball/Softball, Lacrosse (Sixes), and Cricket are among these suggested sports.

The IOC originally announced 28 Olympic sports in February 2022; these new sports would be added to the list. Described as "community-based, innovative, and highly relevant," Casey Wasserman, the Chairperson of LA28, believes that the five suggested sports have the potential to enhance the Olympic movement.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay emphasised the importance of LA28's recommendation while expressing his delight. Even though the final decision is still pending, this move is a significant step towards adding cricket to the Olympic programme once again.

"We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics," Barclay stated.

"While 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," he said.

Thanking LA28 for their assistance over the course of the two-year sport evaluation process, Barclay said he expected the final decision to be made at the IOC Session, which was set to take place during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

"I’d like to thank LA28 for their support during the new sport evaluation process over 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," Barclay stated.