Cricket Back in Olympics
Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 is a significant comeback, marking the sport’s return after a 128-year hiatus.
Two batsmen from the batting team are on the field, positioned at opposite wickets. The bowling team’s 11 players spread out across the field. A bowler delivers the ball towards one of the wickets, attempting to dislodge the bails (two small pieces of wood on top of the stumps). The batsman facing the bowler tries to hit the ball and prevent it from hitting their wicket. After hitting the ball, batsmen can score runs by running between the wickets, switching places on the pitch. One run is scored each time batsmen exchange ends.
Hitting the ball to the boundary line on the ground scores 4 runs. Hitting the ball over the boundary line without it bouncing scores 6 runs. However, Fielders will attempt to get batsmen out in various ways: The bowler hits the wicket with the ball, knocking off the bails or a fielder catches the ball after the batsman has hit it but before it touches the ground.
Twenty20 (T20) will be the format for both men’s and women’s tournaments. In this exciting cricket format, each team bats for 20 overs (an over is a unit of play where the ball gets hit 6 times, so 120 balls in total) to score as many runs as possible. The team with the highest score wins! These matches are action-packed, lasting about 3 hours and featuring impressive shots like fours and sixes. At the Olympics, 6 men’s and 6 women’s teams will compete for gold, silver and bronze, with a total of 90 athletes per tournament, allowing for 15-member squads. Usually, cricket is played with 2-eleven player teams. However, major tournaments like the World Cup, can be long and physically demanding, and also tend to produce injuries.
Games will take place at a specially built stadium at the Fairplex in Pomona, California. This location is about 50 kilometers (roughly 31 miles) outside of downtown Los Angeles. The tournaments are scheduled to run in the stadium from July 12 to 29, 2028, with the women’s final on July 20 and the men’s final on July 29.
Government funding and private investment in cricket will leading to improved facilities, coaching, and grassroots programs. This benefits young aspiring cricketers and provide better opportunities for local communities to participate in the sport.
The Olympics provide a massive platform for cricket to reach new audiences and maybe expand into non-traditional cricketing regions like North America, Europe, and Africa. This could create new fans, opportunities for the sport, and the Olympics!
Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics promises to be a transformative moment for the sport. It has the potential to boost cricket’s global reach, generate economic benefits, promote inclusiveness, and inspire new generations of cricketers and fans, leaving a lasting legacy on the sport and its communities worldwide!
SOURCES:
https://www.newsahoot.com/articles/cricket-is-back-at-the-olympics
