Ireland’s cricketers will be hoping for an increase in the number of planned participants in order to maximise their chances of qualifying for the Olympics with T20 set to be included in the 2028 games.
On Monday evening, the Guardian reported that the organising committee for the event, set to be held in Los Angeles, will announce within 24 hours that cricket is among the additional sports set to be included alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash.
It would be the first time since 1900 that cricket will be included in the quadrennial games.
According to sources with knowledge of the talks, early indications were that only eight countries would compete in cricket in 2028. This would be based on world rankings, with Ireland’s men’s side currently 12th in the world in T20. Ireland women are ranked 10th.
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However, there remains the possibility that further teams could be included, taking the total number of participant countries to at least 12. It is understood that a qualifying event for a number of the places will take place, akin to how the final two slots for this year’s men’s 50-over World Cup were decided at a tournament in Zimbabwe earlier this summer.
It remains unclear if the USA, an associate rather than full-member of the International Cricket Council (IOC), will be given an automatic place as hosts.
The final format and number of teams in the cricket competition is set to be decided upon this weekend at the 141st International Olympic Council in Mumbai, where cricket’s inclusion is set to be officially confirmed.
According to The Guardian, the inclusion of cricket has been agreed in part due to the IOC’s wish to gain a stronger foothold in the Indian television market. The current Olympic broadcast rights there are reported to be worth just €17.3 million for Paris 2024, a figure which would rise to as much as €174 million depending on the format and number of matches involving India.
Last year, the broadcast rights for the Indian Premier League over a five-year period were sold for over $6 billion.
