The Paris Olympics has been wrapped up. Another four years of waiting have started. The next edition of the Olympics will be held in Los Angeles. But the exciting thing is cricket will be added to the prestigious multisport event. The entire cricket fraternity is all excited to be a part of it. Australian legend Ricky Ponting is one of them. He believes that cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will introduce the sport to a whole new audience, broadening its global appeal and reach.
Cricket in the Olympics and Ponting’s Words:
Cricket is set to write a new chapter in its long history by returning to the Olympics. The sport will make its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket hasn’t been in the Olympics since 1900, making this comeback highly anticipated. Along with cricket, the LA28 Organising Committee proposed baseball-softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash as additional sports for inclusion. Fans can look forward to an exciting Olympic experience with cricket’s return.
Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting believes that cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will introduce the sport to a new audience. He thinks the Olympic stage will attract viewers who might not usually follow cricket, expanding the game’s reach and popularity. He said, “It can only be a positive thing for our game. I’ve sat on various committees over the last 15 or 20 years and it’s always been on the top of almost every agenda – how do we get the game back into the Olympics? And finally, it’s there.”
Then he said, “It’s only four years away. Once again, in the US by that stage, hopefully, with MLC (Major League Cricket), another four years down the track hopefully growing. Who knows, there might even be more teams in the MLC by then. I think it also gives cricket a chance to break into the grassroots level in the US.”
Later he added, “But the thing about the Olympic Games, I mean, it’s not the host nation. It’s about the audience that it opens up. The Olympic Games being viewed by so many people all around the world, it just opens up completely different audiences to our game that’s seemingly growing on a daily basis anyway. It can only be a real positive thing for the game.”
Ponting on Facilities:
Ponting noted that addressing facilities and infrastructure will be crucial, especially considering the subpar pitches in New York, Dallas, and Florida during the T20 World Cup in June. he said, “Facilities and infrastructure and those things are going to be key and how many teams they actually decide on. I think it’s only six or seven teams that they’re talking about.”
Later he added, “So qualification is going to be at a premium, how you actually qualify to get into the Olympic Games. So all those things to think about, I’m really excited about where the game’s headed and the growth of different markets that we’re seeing emerge.”
Wish to Coach the Australian Side:
Ponting expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of serving as a mentor or coach for the Australian team at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He is eager about the opportunity and looks forward to contributing to the team’s success in the upcoming games. He said, “It’d be a pretty nice job, I reckon, to be a mentor around a cricket team in the Olympic Games, to hang out. I was lucky enough to play in the Commonwealth Games and just to be around the athletes in the villages and stuff was quite a surreal environment to be in for a cricketer.”
Lastly, he added, “So, look, I wouldn’t say no, but I think there’ll be a lot of people putting their hands up to try and be a mentor or a coach for an Aussie team in the Olympic Games. It’d be special to be a part of, so who knows? We’ll keep my fingers crossed and see what happens.”
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