The Olympics is a serious and large-scale event all over the world. All countries take part in it, including India, England, Pakistan, and others. What do they have in common? The fact that in each of the cricket is developed at a fairly good level. Moreover, countries constantly compete with each other in international cricket tournaments such as Twenty20.
However, the sport was dropped from the Summer Olympics.
Recently, more and more attempts to revive cricket are being made by the world community. In particular, the International Cricket Council is making a lot of efforts towards this. Find out more in our article.
History of cricket as an Olympic game
The very first Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens. And cricket was included in the list of summer sports games. Unfortunately, however, there were not enough applications to host the competition. As a result, the cricket games were canceled.
The following games in 1900 in Paris were the first for cricket. However, only two teams took part: England and France. Moreover, the French team was mostly represented by English emigrants. It is clear that Great Britain had a huge advantage. The game lasted 2 days and ended with a score of 262: 104 on the first day, on the second – 117: 78.
Further, according to the idea, the next game was to take place in 1904. But, unfortunately, cricket did not receive the status of a first-class sport and the game was eventually canceled.
Current situations of cricket
Since 2017, the situation with cricket has changed significantly. The reason for this is the widespread use of cricket in several countries. According to the United States, at least 30 million people practice and know how to play, as well as over a billion viewers around the world. In this regard, major bodies such as the International Cricket Council began to take active action.
An initiative was put forward to introduce cricket into the Olympic Games 2028. It was supported by many countries such as Pakistan, India, England, Shli Lanka, Zimbabwe, and so on.
In this regard, Greg Barclay, Chairman of the International Cricket Council, said that the time has come and every effort will be made that by 2028 cricket will be part of the Summer Olympics. However, he stressed that it is not easy, as there are other contenders.
More information about cricket is currently available at cricketbetonline.in.
Efforts of countries to pushing for 2028 Olympics spot in Los Angeles
The cricket committees have already presented a plan for how the competition will be held. You can study the general view from the points below:
- Women have the right to participate;
- There will be eight teams divided into two groups before two semi-finals and two medal bouts;
- The format of the game will be similar to the Twenty20 game.
This option was approved by the captain of the England cricket team, and in 2020, USA Cricket has recognized the goal of including the game in the 2028 Olympics as a long-term one. In the same year, the Cricket Control Council in India also supported the ICC initiative.
Reasons why cricket should be in the Olympic Games
There are many reasons why cricket should be in the 2028 Olympics. Among them:
- More than a billion cricket viewers around the world;
- More than several million people playing cricket;
- The presence of countries where this sport is dominant;
- The desire of cricket institutions, people, and countries to include cricket;
- The current model for the implementation of cricket games in Los Angeles. Including the fact that the country has suitable fields to play.
Challenges facing cricket on the road to inclusion in the 2028 Olympics
However, the path of cricket is very difficult. Despite all those advantages, desires, and attempts to be included in the 2028 Olympics, several problems and tasks need to be solved. Their list is below:
- The presence of other candidates.
In addition to cricket, sports such as sambo or netball apply for inclusion in the Olympics. They are also popular and are full-fledged competitors for cricket fans.
- Another issue that the ICC has not yet answered is how the Olympics might affect the revenue streams that are currently directly related to cricket.
- Teams such as England, Ireland, and West Indies do not match Olympic national teams:
- Thus, the UK cricket team includes players from Wales, Scotland, England, and other territories;
- The West Indies team consists of some countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Dominica, and so on;
- The players from Ireland can not play together, since they should choose the side. Either to play for the team of England or the Nothern Ireland.
- For a long time, the Cricket Control Board of India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) did not want to include cricket in the Olympics. This is important because they are two leading and influential organizations. At the moment, their position has softened.
Is it possible to see cricket as an Olympic game in 2028?
In fact, there are a lot of doubts. The involvement of cricket in the Olympics 2028 depends on many factors. In the other words, now we can the competition between the representatives of different kinds of sports such as Cambo, or netball.
Taking everything into account, including the attempts of the cricket institutions, it is a high possibility to see the sport in the list of Olympic games.
FAQ
Was cricket involved in the list of the Olympic games?
Yes, 1900 was the first time when a tournament on cricket was held. The game was between France and England. But, unfortunately, it was not recognized as a first-class sport.
What is the likelihood that cricket will be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?
It is difficult to say for sure, it all depends on the measures taken by the cricket institutions, as well as on the decision of the Olympic Committee.
For what reasons should cricket be included in the 2028 Olympics?
First of all, it is the scale of prevalence among the world’s population. More than 1 billion people follow matches and tournaments.
What difficulties could be on the way to including cricket in the 2028 Olympics?
Among the main difficulties are a lot of competition, non-compliance of cricket teams with Olympic standards, financial issues, and so on.
How could the 2028 Cricket Olympiad take place?
Most likely, it will be in Twenty20 format, where there will be 8 teams. It is also likely that women will be able to participate.