ICC To Bid For Cricket In Olympics; Aims Inclusion In 2028 LA Games

Cricket might make a comeback at the Olympic Games at the 2028 Los Angeles Games if the International Cricket Council's bid for the inclusion of cricket at the Olympics is successful.

The ICC announced on August 10 that it is pushing for cricket to be included in the Olympic Games and has constituted a Working Group to lead the bid.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has also extended its support for the bid with secretary Jay Shah stating that the Indian cricket teams would take part in the Olympics if the sport is included. "Once cricket is added in the Olympics, India will be participating. The BCCI and the ICC are on the same page as far as participation in the Olympics is concerned," Shah told the Hindustan Times.

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Being the most powerful governing body, the BCCI's nod is crucial for the ICC bid as India is the largest market for cricket and offers the International Olympic Committee a new market.

Cricket's solitary appearance came in the 1900 Paris Olympics when Great Britain beat hosts France to win gold.

Stating that cricket's addition to the Olympics will benefit both the sport and the Games, ICC Chair Greg Barclay said that cricket's inclusion at the Los Angeles Games makes perfect sense given the presence of 30 million cricket fans in the USA.

The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games will see a women's T20 cricket tournament being held for the first time. The tournament will feature eight teams.

The ICC hopes that cricket's successful introduction at the Commonwealth Games could pave the way for its inclusion in the Olympic Games.