Yes, cricket is an Olympic sport now, IOC has formally approved its inclusion for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in the T20 format for both men’s and women’s teams. Fans are going to see cricket after 128 years at the Olympics.
When Was Cricket First Played at the Olympics?
Cricket appeared in the 1900 Paris Olympics for the first time, where a cricket match was played between Great Britain and France. This was a single 12‑a‑side match, unlike today, where each cricket team fields 11 players, played at the Vélodrome de Vincennes on 19-20 August. The match was played in two innings, two-day format similar to what’s now called Test cricket.
Initially, organisers had planned a small tournament featuring four sides – Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, but Belgium and the Netherlands withdrew, and
Why Was Cricket Removed from the Olympics?
In the 1900 Olympics, cricket didn’t meet the expectations of competitiveness as only 2 teams participated. Apart from this, in the early 20th century, compared to other sports like Football and Hockey, cricket had only one multi-day long format, which made it more difficult for organisers to fit it into the tight schedule of other sports.
Cricket’s Return to the Olympics
ICC and many cricket fans waited for many years to have cricket in the Olympics. The turning point came in October 2023, when the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai approved the Los Angeles 2028 organising committee’s proposal to add cricket, along with baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash to the Los Angeles 2028. The IOC formally ratified cricket’s inclusion in the T20 format, confirming that the sport would be part of the Olympics for the first time since 1900.
Which Cricket Format Is Played at the Olympics?
For the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, cricket will be played in the T20 format. The decision was taken by the ICC, keeping the global popularity of the format. Also, it is easy for organizers to keep them under a tight schedule of two weeks. To know more about qualification scenario news, analysis, expert opinion, odds, records, stats, etc you can download the Indibet app or visit the platform.
Which Countries Can Compete in Olympic Cricket?
Six ICC nations Men’s and women’s teams are going to compete for the LA 2028 Olympics. Qualification isn’t simply “top-ranked teams” – it’s a mixed model. Four men’s quota places come via ICC rankings, one via host-nation allocation (USA with a condition if they can get in the top 15 ICC T20 rankings), and one via a global qualifier, while the women’s event uses the 2026 T20 World Cup as the primary qualifying event, with the highest-placed eligible team from each of four continents earning direct qualification. Rankings-based qualification means the race for spots is closely tied to which side currently sits as the No. 1 cricket team in the world.
How Teams Qualify for the Olympic Cricket Tournament
Australia, Great Britain (via England), India and South Africa have already qualified for the women’s event as the top finishers from their continents at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
While for the men’s Olympic event, 4 spots are fixed for the ICC men’s top T20 ranking teams, 1 is reserved for the host nation, also with some terms and conditions.
For the 6th spot in the men’s T20 quota, the remaining 8 ICC-ranked teams are going to compete in an ICC Olympics Qualifier.
What the Olympics Means for the Future of Cricket
Seeing cricket in the Olympics opens the gate for many new countries to explore the potential of cricket in their nations. Especially in North America and parts of Europe where the sport is still niche. With LA28 taking place in the United States and the ICC already investing in Major League Cricket and USA‑based events, Olympic exposure could accelerate infrastructure, grassroots programmes and media deals in that region, and inspire a new generation to look into how to become a cricketer in these emerging markets.
Cricket Around the World
Officially, the ICC has 108 member nations, including official ICC members who play all the formats of the sport, such as India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies, Afghanistan and Ireland, alongside a deep list of Associates across every continent.
All ICC members have T20 status, many nations have shown excellence in cricket by giving tough competition to the official ICC member nations. With the LA 2028 Olympics, fans can expect cricket to penetrate new markets and potential. You can visit the Indibet bet platform to know more about the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 squad, players, qualified teams, and much more.
FAQs
Which Olympics will feature cricket again?
Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, after being officially approved by the IOC and added to the LA28 sports programme.
How many teams will play Olympic cricket?
Six teams will feature in the men’s events and six teams in the women’s event. All the matches will be played in T20 format.
Will both men’s and women’s cricket be included?
Yes, both men’s and women’s T20 cricket are scheduled to be part of the LA28 Olympic programme, each with a separate six‑team tournament.
Has India ever played cricket at the Olympics?
India has never played cricket at the Olympics, it would be India’s first appearance in Olympic cricket and an opportunity to chase a historic gold medal in a format where Indian players and leagues already have a massive global footprint.
