Cricket is poised to make a return to the Summer Olympics during the 2028 LA Games, marking a comeback after 128 years since its sole appearance.
This development was confirmed by LA28 in a media release on Monday, wherein it stated that cricket, alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash, had been recommended for "potential inclusion" as new sports for the LA Olympics.
The LA28 announcement also confirmed that its recommendation would be "reviewed" and ratified this weekend by the IOC at its executive board meeting in Mumbai, on October 14 and 15.
Casey Wasserman, Chairperson of LA28, stated that all five recommended sports were "relevant, innovative, and community-based," which could increase the Olympics movement.
"LA28's proposed sports ignite the imagination on the field of play and drive culture off it. They're relevant, innovative and community-based, played in backyards, schoolyards, community centres, stadiums and parks across the U.S. and the globe," Wasserman said. "They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games' presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28's mission to deliver an unparalleled experience."
Greg Barclay, Chairman of the ICC, expressed his delight but tempered his reaction, saying, "We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics," Barclay said in a media release. "Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century."
Although cricket was not initially included in the IOC's list of 28 sports finalised last February, its efforts to join the Olympics gained momentum in July when it was added to a shortlist of nine sports being reviewed for inclusion.
Cricket was in contention alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, break dancing, karate, kickboxing, squash, and motorsport.
During its presentation to LA28, the ICC proposed a six-team T20 event for both men and women. The participating teams would consist of the top-six ranked sides in the ICC's men's and women's T20 rankings as of a specific cut-off date.
The ICC advocated for the T20 format, as both LA28 and the IOC emphasised the need for a format with a world championship, a compact duration (ruling out ODIs), and significant spectator interest (ruling out T10).
It remains unconfirmed whether the ICC has finalised the tournament structure, which was still under discussion until recently.
Cricket, played by nearly half of the world's population, has been featured only once in the global games, 128 years ago during the 1900 Paris Olympics. On that occasion, a single match took place in which Great Britain emerged victorious against hosts France to claim the gold medal. The game spanned two days and featured four innings, similar to a first-class fixture.