The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed its intention to push for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games going forward. ICC will be bidding for the tournament in Los Angeles in 2028. The ICC has set up a committee to look into the matter. Thirty-million cricket fans live in the USA, making LA 2028 the ideal Games for cricket to make its return to Olympic competition
Cricket was included in the 1900 Paris Olympics, with only two teams, Great Britain and France. Therefore, after 128 years, cricket will be seen competing in the Olympics again.
Cricket is making a comeback in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is now poised to re-enter the Olympics. ICC President Greg Barkley said: "First of all, on behalf of all the members of the ICC, I congratulate the International Olympic Committee and everyone in Japan for successfully hosting the Tokyo Olympics. It was a pleasure to watch the Olympics and we would love to see cricket included in the Olympics in the future. There are billions of cricket fans around the world and 90 per cent of them want cricket in the Olympics.
He further said, "Cricket is a huge fan year and has 93 per cent fans from South Asia and 30 million fans in the United States. For all these fans, there will be no happier moment to play cricket in the Olympics. But, in our own way, many sports also want to participate in the Olympics and so we have to do our best. This is the time. "
