Cricket Officially Returns to the Olympics
Announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), cricket will officially return in the 2028 Summer Olympics at Pomona.
For the first time in 128 years, cricket will be a sport in the Olympics. Last time the sport was played in the Olympics, it was 1900 and there were only two teams: Great Britain and France. There was supposed to be Cricket in the 1904 Olympics, but it was cancelled due to lack of entries. Since then, cricket decreased in popularity because of the rise of baseball. The return of cricket in the Olympics is so important, the opening game will start two days before the Opening Ceremony.
The cricket game will be played in a T20 version. It’s a faster version of cricket with 20 overs (set of six balls), and the team with the most runs wins the match. There can be up to 15 players in each team, but only 11 can be in the game as others will serve as substitutes. This type of cricket only lasts approximately 3 hours, while other versions last up to 8 hours.
Specifically, the cricket Olympics are going to be played in the Fairgrounds Stadium, also known as Fairplex. The games start on July 12, with medal games held on July 20 (women) and July 29 (Men) at 9:30 am – 6:00 pm. There are going to be six teams each in the men’s and women’s teams, and in total there are 180 players. Countries such as India, Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, and the USA are expected to compete in the Olympics.
According to a ‘Times Now’ Youtube video, this is said to bring together the world’s best athletes, attract fans of cricket, and show the exhilaration of cricket to a worldwide audience.”This is a win-win situation,” IOC president Thomas Bach said ahead of the vote. “The Olympic Games will give cricket a global stage and the opportunity to grow beyond its traditional countries and regions. And for the Olympic movement, it’s the opportunity to engage with a fan and athlete community to which we have had very little, or even no, access.” Finally after 128 years of waiting, cricket will be in the Olympics.
Sources
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-at-la-olympics-2028-to-start-on-july-12-1495397
https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cddzp9qeq4vo
https://www.newsahoot.com/articles/cricket-is-back-at-the-olympics
https://cricketstoreonline.com/blogs/articles/how-long-does-a-cricket-game-take-understanding-match-durations?srsltid=ARcRdno66X7a8rcXDIyruv5UVr_tNQ6I-0INHpyLsMLiFva5bh_3c4Np
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tristanlavalette/2023/10/16/cricket-returns-to-the-olympics-at-the-los-angeles-2028-games/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_at_the_Summer_Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cricket_in_the_United_States