The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given its approval to the recommendation for the inclusion of T20 cricket in 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This significant decision was reached during the IOC’s executive board meeting in Mumbai on Friday. The next pivotal step in this process will be the IOC’s voting at the ‘Session,’ scheduled to take place in Mumbai from October 14 to 16.
ICC accepts to include T20 cricket in 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
The recommendation to introduce T20 cricket, along with four other sports – baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash – was initially proposed by the LA28 local organizing committee for potential inclusion in the Los Angeles Games. IOC President Thomas Bach, addressing the media, highlighted that all five sports align well with the spirit and ethos of the LA28.
Bach emphasized,
“These proposals have been accepted as a package by the IOC executive board taking into consideration that these proposals and these sports are fully in line with the sports culture of our host in ’28, with the American sports culture.
They will showcase iconic American sports to the world while bringing at the same time international sports to the United States. The inclusion will, on the other hand, allow the Olympics to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the US and globally.”
The ICC, during its presentation to LA28, had put forward the idea of a six-team T20 event for both men and women, with participation determined based on the top-six ranked sides in the ICC’s men’s and women’s T20 rankings at a specified cut-off date.
This format was suggested as the most suitable, aligning with LA28 and IOC criteria, which specified that the format should have a world championship status (ruling out T10), a compact duration (ruling out ODIs), and significant spectator interest. This exciting development opens the door to an electrifying cricket spectacle at the 2028 Olympics, showcasing the sport to a global audience.
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