Cricket at LA 2028 Olympics: Six teams to compete for gold, 180 players to feature; Pakistan may miss out

It looks like several prominent cricketing nations will be sitting out the LA 2028 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that only six teams will be in the running for both the men's and women's tournaments. Each gender will have 90 athlete spots available, which means each of the six teams can field a squad of 15 players.

Cricket's inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics is a big deal, marking the sport's comeback to this major event after a long break of 128 years. The last time cricket was featured was back in the 1900 Paris Olympics.

Back then, there was a two-day match between Great Britain and France, which later got unofficially recognized as a Test match.

LA 2028 to feature 180 cricket players

It's important to note that cricket will be featured in the T20 format at the LA 2028 Olympics, which reflects the sport's ambition to broaden its appeal. However, this exciting news comes with a downside, as some of the leading cricketing nations will not be part of the competition.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is made up of 12 'Full Members,' including powerhouse teams like India, Australia, and England, along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe. On top of that, the ICC has 94 'Associate Members.'

Even with so many countries playing cricket, only six teams from each gender will get the chance to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics. This decision was officially greenlit by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday.

Teams qualification

The qualification process for an event has yet to be announced, but it is likely that the USA will receive a direct entry as hosts. This means that only five other Full Members will have the opportunity to compete for the remaining spots.

Schedule

It is anticipated that the schedule and venues for the cricket competitions at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles would be revealed closer to the event's commencement.

An important turning point in cricket's international growth has been reached with its inclusion in the Olympics. The most recent event to feature women's cricket was the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. In 2023, the men's and women's cricket teams also returned to the Asian Games after almost ten years absence.

At the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, cricket will be joined by new sports such baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.

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