The Indian cricket teams’ entry in the Olympics received a green signal from the BCCI on Friday. In the virtual meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Apex Council, it agreed to send its men’s and women’s teams if cricket is a part of the 2028 Los Angeles Games provided there is no interference from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The BCCI hadn’t taken any decision on participation in the Olympics till now. Their last appearance in any major multi-sport event was back at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
The BCCI also agreed to field its women’s team at the Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham in 2022.
“The members felt that just like tennis sends individual entries and IOA has no control in the matter, BCCI should also send its teams without any interference from the IOA. The BCCI is going to communicate its decision to the International Cricket Council (ICC),” a board official told The Indian Express.
If everything goes to plan, the Indian cricket teams will play at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in an T20 event.
The ICC had formed a committee in December to suggest ways for cricket’s inclusion at Los Angeles 2028. The panel told the Apex Council that cricket is played in 75 countries and argued that it’s the right time for India to expand its presence on the world map.
The move may also provide India an opportunity to increase its medal tally at the Olympics as both its men’s and women’s teams are among the strongest outfits in the game. It would be a win-win situation as the Olympics will gain a huge fan base and viewer interest, especially in the Indian subcontinent. But cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics will require some scheduling tweaks and finding a window during the Games.
