It looks like Pakistan’s men’s cricket team probably won’t make it to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
According to a report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) plans to use a regional qualifying system. This means teams like Pakistan and New Zealand may not get to participate when cricket returns to the Olympics after 128 years.
The top-ranked men’s teams from Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa will automatically qualify for the tournament. The United States will also get a spot as the host country, representing the Americas. The report states that India and Australia will be awarded spots from Asia and Oceania, based on the ICC rankings.
The International Olympic Committee wants to make sure the Games are truly global, so they prefer regional qualifying to include teams from all over the world, reports The Guardian.
Because the USA will likely qualify as hosts, the West Indies’ chances of participating are also low. The report mentions that this would what it means for West Indian islands hoping to compete.
In total, six teams will be chosen for the event. The qualification process for five spots is set, but they haven’t decided how the sixth team will be selected, the report said.
Cricket’s comeback to the Olympics at the LA Games is set to happen at the Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomena, about 50km from Los Angeles, starting on July 12. The medal matches are scheduled for July 20 and 29, 2028.
There will be six teams each in the men’s and women’s sections, with 180 players competing in the T20 format. Cricket was only in the Olympics once before, in 1900.
There are no matches on July 14 and 21, and most match days will have two games, based on the schedule released by the organizers.
The only time cricket was played at the Olympics was in Paris in 1900. Great Britain and France played a two-day match, with Great Britain winning the gold medal.
With 90 athlete spots in the men’s and women’s sections, the 12 teams can each have 15-member squads.
Cricket’s popularity is clear from the fact that three venues in the United States – Grand Prairie, Lauderhill, and New York – held matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which the USA and West Indies co-hosted.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had approved cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash as five new sports to be included in the 2028 Games.