The cricket world has been buzzing with excitement following the sport’s inclusion in the Olympic programme at the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Mumbai, India, last year.
The decision by the IOC’s apex decision-making body in Mumbai paved the way for the sport’s return to the Olympics.
However, cricket won’t make an appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Instead, cricket lovers will have to wait until the Los Angeles 2028 Games to see their favourite sport at the marquee event.
Sports for the Paris 2024 Olympics were approved at the 134th IOC Session held in Lausanne, Switzerland in June 2019. Cricket was not one of the proposed sports.
Squash, billiards and chess were some of the other sports that were proposed for Paris 2024. None of them made the cut.
Breaking will be the only sport making its Olympic debut at Paris 2024. Surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing – each of which made their Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 – will return for Paris 2024. Breaking, however, has not been included in the Olympic programme for LA 2028.
Cricket at LA 2028 will be played in the T20 format, featuring both men’s and women’s competitions. This format was used at the Asian Games last year when cricket returned to the continental event after missing out in 2018.
The same format was also used at the Commonwealth Games 2022, where cricket made a comeback after 24 years.
Alongside cricket, the LA28 Organising Committee recommended baseball-softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash for inclusion, all of which were formally approved by the IOC in Mumbai.
The qualification process for cricket at LA28 will be announced at a later date.
Cricket made an appearance at the Olympics only once before, at Paris 1900. Only two teams – Great Britain and France – competed for medals in a two-day ‘Test’ match format.
The gold medal was won by Great Britain, represented by the players from Devon and Somerset Wanderers Club. The French team consisted of staffers from the British embassy in Paris.
Since then, the sport, despite its immense popularity worldwide, has not featured in the Olympic programme.