Cricket to be included in 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

Cricket may be included in the 2028 Olympics as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is trying to make it a part of the Los Angeles Games, according to MCC World Cricket Committee chairman Mike Gatting. As reported by ESPNCricinfo, former England captain Gatting said that ICC's new chief executive Manu Sawhney has informed the MCC's Cricket Committee that he is hopeful of the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics. He also mentioned that ICC is working towards the inclusion at this moment and it will be a huge bonus for world cricket.

"We were talking with Manu Sawhney, the ICC chief executive, and he was very hopeful we can get cricket into the 2028 Olympics," Gatting told ESPNCricinfo.

"That's what they're working towards at the moment and that would be a huge bonus for cricket worldwide, it would be fantastic," he added.

The 62-year-old former cricketer mentioned that it's a good thing as Olympics is just for two weeks and not a month, so it won't be a problem as it will happen every four years. He also added that once cricket gets accepted into the Olympics then it will be easier to shape up the schedule for two weeks.

"It's two weeks, that's a good thing about it, it's not a month, so it's one of those (events) where scheduling for two weeks should be fine once every four years once you do the first one," the former English cricketer told ESPNCricinfo.

"You're going to have - one hopes - a four-year period, once you know you've been accepted into the Olympics, that gives you a chance to actually shape your two weeks, so it's not as if it is butted into the schedule," he also mentioned.

The BCCI has recently come under the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) which can play a vital role according to Gatting. He mentioned that it will help in the process of getting included in the Olympics. The former English batsman also mentioned that the next 18 months will be very interesting to see what happens.

"I think the next 18 months will be very interesting as to how we do that. One of the problems has been negated, where the BCCI is now working with NADA, the drugs agency, which it wasn't previously a part of," he further added.

Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar had earlier mentioned that cricket should be included in the Olympic Games. Recently, women's cricket was included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.