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Cricket fans are seeing positive signs that the sport will be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Jay Shah, India’s secretary of its Board of Control for Cricket and president of the Asian Cricket Council, has been appointed to the International Cricket Council’s working group, a sign that some of the major forces in global cricket are throwing their heft behind an Olympic bid.
- The ICC is working to get T20, a shorter variant of cricket, into the Summer Games in Los Angeles. The proposal calls for six men’s and six women’s teams to compete.
- Despite previous indications that cricket was out of the running, those close to the bid are reportedly expressing optimism.
- Shah’s appointment is believed to signal the support of India, which has been lacking in other cricket Olympic bids.
Should T20 make it into the 2028 Games, it will be played nearby a planned Major League Cricket stadium in Orange County. Owners of the Indian Premier League’s Kolkata Knight Riders invested $30 million in the project.
Breaking It Down
The International Olympic Committee has already approved surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing for the Los Angeles Games.
In addition to cricket, eight other sports are seeking inclusion: motorsport, karate, baseball/softball, lacrosse, kickboxing, squash, flag football, and the competitive breakdancing competition known as breaking. Obstacle discipline is nearing inclusion as part of the modern pentathlon.
