Cricket to be part of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in T20 format

16 Oct Cricket to be part of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in T20 format

In what has emerged as incredibly good news for cricket lovers around the world, the sport will feature as one among the five new entrants for the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles.

It’s great to hear that cricket was recommended for inclusion by the LA Local Organizing Committee (LOCOG) and was voted on by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). If cricket, along with other sports like baseball/softball, squash, flag football, and lacrosse, has been approved for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, it’s a significant development for these sports and for the Olympic program.

The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics would certainly draw significant attention from cricket fans worldwide and provide an opportunity for the sport to reach a broader global audience. It will be interesting to follow the progress and preparations as cricket and the other newly included sports become part of the 2028 Olympic Games.

The introduction of T20 cricket into the Olympics, as explained by Niccolo Campriani, the director of the LA Local Organizing Committee (LOCOG), does make sense in terms of expanding the sport’s global appeal. T20 cricket is known for its fast-paced and exciting nature, which can capture the interest of a broader audience. The shorter format of the game, with its emphasis on big hits and quick action, has been successful in attracting fans and viewers.

Furthermore, the timing aligning with the West Indies and the USA hosting the 2024 T20 World Cup adds an interesting dimension to the development. Hosting a major cricket tournament like the T20 World Cup in the region can help generate interest and awareness about the sport, potentially increasing the enthusiasm for cricket when it makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.

Campriani also shed light on the amount of following that star player Virat Kohli has on social media and how it will help drive the game to an audience that not necessarily has consumed the game regularly in the USA.

The sport has featured just once in the Olympics before but way back in 1900. 

Overall, it’s an exciting prospect for cricket fans, and it will be interesting to see how the inclusion of T20 cricket in the Olympics unfolds and how it impacts the sport’s popularity on a global scale.