Cricket to be officially part of Los Angeles Olympics 2028; PM Narendra Modi, BCCI secretary Jay Shah welcome decision

The decision to include Cricket in the Olympics 2028 to be held in Los Angeles was taken by the IOC Session, which is currently underway in Mumbai. The IOC session was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): The International Olympic Committee has decided to officially include cricket in the T20 format in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The decision was taken by the IOC Session, which is currently underway in Mumbai and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Cricket has already been included in the Commonwealth Games (2022 edition in Birmingham) and the 2023 Asian Games held in China. The IOC Media in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote "The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (@LA28) to include five new sports in the programme has been accepted by the IOC Session."

"Baseball/softball, cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash will be in the programme at LA28," it added. The announcement would bring joy as India is one of the favourites to win the Gold Medal.

IOC president Thomas Bach made the announcement of cricket's inclusion along with other sports after the recommendation of the Executive Board was put to vote through a raise of hands. The proposal to include the five sports recommended by the LA28 Organising Committee was opposed by only two of the 99 IOC members.

The massive following of cricket in India, the world's most populous nation, and the BCCI supporting the ICC in its Olympic bid also went a long way in securing a spot in the LA28 programme. It was only in 2021 that the BCCI changed its stance to back the game's inclusion in the Summer Games after years of opposition fearing a threat to its autonomy.

Italy's Olympic champion shooter, Niccolo Campriani, who is the sports director at LA28, referred to Indian superstar Virat Kohli's popularity while making the pitch to the IOC here.

"We are thrilled to welcome the world's second most popular sport with an estimated 2.5 billion fans worldwide. Some of you would be wondering why in LA. The Commitment to grow cricket in the US is real and it is already happening with the launch of Major League Cricket this year, which exceeded expectations. We also have the T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies next year," Campriani said in reference to the ICC event in June next year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his delight over the decision. "Absolutely delighted that baseball-softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash will feature in @LA28. This is great news for sportspersons. As a cricket loving nation, we specially welcome inclusion of cricket, reflecting the rising global popularity of this wonderful sport," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah hailed the decision saying it will open new frontiers for the sport. "The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics is set to open new frontiers for the sport, providing unparalleled exposure in untapped global markets," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

"Moreover, we anticipate that this decision will yield significant financial dividends and have a profound positive impact on our sport's eco-system. It will fuel infrastructural development, intensify competition, foster youth development, and create opportunities for officials, volunteers, and skilled professionals," he added.