(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Cricket Returns to the Olympics: ICC Confirms Schedule for LA28 T20 Tournaments
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the schedule for cricket’s much-anticipated return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 (LA28). Both the men’s and women’s T20 tournaments are set to take place from July 12 to July 29, 2028.
This marks cricket’s return to the Olympics after a gap of 128 years since its debut at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain won gold in a one-off match against France.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved cricket’s inclusion for LA28 back in 2023. Earlier this year, the IOC confirmed a six-team T20 format for both men and women, allocating a quota of 90 athletes per gender. Each team will be allowed a 15-player squad.
The ICC revealed that the women’s final will be held on July 20, while the men’s final is scheduled for July 29. Both matches will take place at the Pomona Fairplex, about 50 kilometers from downtown Los Angeles.
In the group stage, teams will face two opponents from the opposite pool, excluding the team that finished in the same position. For instance, the winner of Group A will play the second and third-placed teams from Group B, and vice versa.
The top two teams after group play will compete for gold and silver medals, while the third and fourth-placed teams will battle for bronze. Most match days will feature double-headers, with games starting at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time.
The return of cricket to the Olympics is seen as a major milestone for the sport, offering huge global exposure on one of the world’s biggest stages.
Details about the qualification process are still being finalized, with discussions set for the ICC Annual Conference in Singapore beginning July 17. It is expected that T20 International rankings at a designated cut-off date will help determine the six participating teams.
A key question remains whether the host nation, the United States, will receive automatic qualification, which could impact available spots for other countries.
LA28 officials confirmed that the final gender sequence and detailed schedule will be announced later this year.
