LA Olympics set to make history with 'surprise' cricket return

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has voted to reinstate cricket to the Olympic Games, with the sport for its first appearance at an Olympic Games in 128 years. Let’s take a look at the format and what happened way back in 1900. GettyImages-1270143154

Cricket was added to the 2028 Olympics alongside flag football, squash, lacrosse and baseball/softball.

Women’s cricket was added to the Commonwealth Games in 2022 with Australia taking home the gold medal. The IOC is planning for both men and women to compete in 2028.

It is expected that there will be six teams in each competition but so far this hasn’t been confirmed.

Currently, there is no official word on how teams will qualify for the competition, although there is an assumption the USA as hosts will be one of the teams guaranteed a spot.

IOC President Thomas Bach said the addition of cricket, and other sports, to the games will make them “unique”.

Bach continued by suggesting the choice of the new sports was in line with, “American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States.”

Sports director of the 2028 Games, Niccolo Campriani said he and the committee were, “thrilled to be welcoming the world's second most popular sport”.

Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB, has approved of the decision as it, “ will accelerate the continuing and rapid growth of the women's game.”

There has been a concerted effort to grow the sport in America in recent times, with the Major League Cricket competition debuting in the summer of 2023 with significant investment from IPL owners.

The T20 World Cup is also set to be partially hosted in the United States, sharing hosting duties with the West Indies.

As Nick Hoult of The Telegraph wrote, “The Olympics needs cricket more than the other way around”, with broadcast rights expected to reach enormous figures given the popularity in India.

Cricket was due to be played at the first modern Olympiad in Athens back in 1896 but it was dropped given a lack of entries. It was however added again for the 1900 Paris Games.

There were only two teams entered in Paris, the hosts, France and England. The French team was made up mostly of Englishmen and rather than sending a nationally selected team the English sent the Devon & Somerset Wanderers Cricket Club.

The game was played between two teams of 12 over two days and was not even given first-class status.

It should be no surprise the ‘English’ team ended up winning gold, with a comfortable 158-run margin of victory. And now we only have to wait five more years to see if they can retain their gold medal.