Women’s T20 cricket was included in the Commonwealth Games 2022 held in August this year and cricket was very much liked in the games held in Birmingham.
Image Credit source: PTI
The T20 World Cup 2022 has been completed in Australia and after many exciting matches, England won the title. Everyone said one thing about this tournament held in Australia that this time the most thrill and tough competition was seen. Apparently such things can be considered good to increase the popularity of the game of cricket. Especially when the International Cricket Council is making efforts to take the game to the Olympics. According to a report, T20 cricket may get an entry in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The British newspaper Telegraph has claimed in a report that efforts have intensified to include T20 cricket in the 2028 Olympics and at the same time the game will get a place in the Games for the first time after more than 100 years. Huh. Cricket was played only once in the Olympic Games. A test match was played between Britain and France in the 1900 Olympics, where Britain won the gold.
place in the short list of 9 sports
Since then, the distance between cricket and Olympics had increased. With the arrival of T20 cricket, there was a demand to include it in the Olympics and in the last 2-3 years these efforts started intensifying. Earlier, efforts were made to place cricket in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but after failing here, the 2028 Games were targeted.
However, the path has not been easy in this too, but according to the Telegraph report, apart from the main sports in the Los Angeles Games, T20 cricket has also got a place in the 9 sports selected as optional sports.
6-6 teams in men and women
In order to give a place to cricket in the Games, a proposal has been made by the ICC for 6-6 teams in women and men. Under this proposal, two groups of 3-3 teams will be formed. Out of this, 2-2 teams will reach the semi-finals. To participate in the games, 6-6 teams will be selected on the basis of ICC rankings. Now whether cricket gets a place or not, it is expected to be decided in September next year.
Success achieved in CWG
In the last two years, the ICC made special efforts towards the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics. Under this, first women’s T20 cricket was included in the Commonwealth Games 2022, which was very much liked. Apart from this, apart from West Indies, the hosting of T20 World Cup 2024 has also been given to America to popularize cricket in America.