Cricket “very likely” to make a grand return to the Olympics soon 

Cricket fans across the globe are buzzing with excitement as the sport of bat and ball is inching closer to its glorious Olympic comeback, a momentous event that has been a staggering 128 years in the making! Speculation is rife, and sources have revealed that the prospect of cricket’s inclusion at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles and beyond is now “very likely,” sparking a flurry of anticipation and hope. 

T20 Cricket could be included in Olympics 

The thrilling proposition envisions men’s and women’s Twenty20 competitions, where coveted gold medals will be at stake, gracing the grandest sporting stage on Earth. The potential Olympic inclusion is not only a milestone for cricket but also promises to unlock a treasure trove of commercial opportunities, particularly in the cricket-crazed Asian subcontinent. 

The proposal outlines a format featuring five teams in each competition, earning their qualification based on the esteemed International Cricket Council’s world rankings. If cricket does indeed find its way back to the Olympics, it would mark a historic moment for the sport, the first since its one-off appearance in the 1900 Games in Paris. 

The fervour to witness cricket on the Olympic stage stems from the International Cricket Council’s newfound dedication to global expansion. The long-desired ambition has now translated into a women’s T20 tournament, successfully held at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. With the increasing momentum, the path to Olympic glory seems ever more attainable.  

Fans delighted at the prospect 

The potential for cricket’s inclusion has sparked the interest of the International Olympic Committee as well, which has shortlisted cricket among nine other sports for the LA 2028 Games, including baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and motorsport. 

The financial prospects are equally tantalizing, especially for the cricket-crazy nation of India. The current Olympic broadcast rights in India have been sold for individual Games, amounting to £15.6m ($20m) for the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, experts suggest that including cricket in LA 2028 and subsequently in Brisbane 2032 could potentially elevate this figure to a staggering £150m. The sheer magnitude of this opportunity has the cricketing fraternity brimming with excitement and hope. 

Despite the overwhelmingly positive prospects, commercial arrangements stand as the only plausible obstacle. However, the possibilities of cricket’s Olympic dream being realized are too promising to be dampened. The cricketing world stands united in its endeavour to stage the men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA next June, a crucial step to pave the way for Olympic glory. 

In 2022, the Commonwealth Games saw West Indies secure qualification through rankings, represented by Barbados following a regional qualifier. The vision of cricket’s Olympic return has already ignited passion and ambition in the hearts of players and fans alike, setting the stage for a cricketing spectacle like no other. 

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