1 week Ago
While the cricket fever is reaching a boiling point in India, thanks to the high-octane drama of IPL 2025, the bigger wave is forming on the global stage — cricket is officially making its return to the Olympics! Yes, you read that right. After over a century-long hiatus, the sound of leather on willow will echo in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Now, this isn’t just any comeback, it’s a historic re-entry.
Cricket is one of five new sports that have been added to the LA28 lineup, joining the likes of baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash. The decision was greenlit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2023, marking a new era for the sport on the global stage. What will Olympic cricket look like? Unlike the long, drawn-out formats traditionalists are used to, the Olympic version of cricket is going short and snappy.
The T20 format, known for its high energy and edge-of-the-seat action, will be used for both men’s and women’s tournaments. Perfect for an event as fast-paced and diverse as the Olympics. Additionally, each tournament will feature six teams, with 90 athlete slots allocated per gender.
That means every nation can bring a 15-player squad, packing talent and strategy into a compact team. It’s your favorite sport in your favourite format, but streamlined for the world’s biggest sporting stage. Who's in the mix? The International Cricket Council (ICC) currently has 12 full member nations, including powerhouses like India, Australia, England, Pakistan, and South Africa, along with others such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe.
These countries are likely to be at the heart of the Olympic action. While the exact qualification path hasn’t been revealed yet, one thing we can count on is that the United States, as the host nation, is all but guaranteed a spot. That leaves just five slots up for grabs.
The top five teams in the ICC rankings (as of a yet-to-be-announced cut-off date) are expected to qualify directly, making every international match until then even more crucial. For a sport that’s wildly popular across continents — from the stadiums of Mumbai to the beaches of Barbados — the Olympic stage offers an unparalleled opportunity to grow the game further. So, while IPL 2025 continues to dazzle with its sixes and super overs, keep one eye on the horizon — because in just a few years, cricket won’t just be a summer tradition or a national obsession.
It’ll be an Olympic dream..
