Alongside baseball-softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash, cricket will return to the Olympics at Los Angeles 2028.

Cricket is now officially a part of LA28, marking the sport’s return to the Olympic stage after 128 years.

Cricket’s entry to LA28 was formalised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai.

Flag football and squash will be making their debut because they have never been Olympic events in the past.

Meanwhile, Baseball and Softball were part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before taking a break in 2024.

Lacrosse last appeared in the 1908 London Olympics, while Cricket was a part of the 1900 Olympics in Paris with only two teams - one from Great Britain and one from France - competing for medals. Since then, however, the sport has not featured in the Olympic programme.  The team from Britain beat the side representing France.

Cricket had made an appearance at different multi-sport events. A men’s cricket tournament was held at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur while the women’s game made its CWG debut at Birmingham 2022 last year.

Both men’s and women’s cricket tournaments, played in the popular T20 format, were part of the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023.

At the Paris 1900 Olympics, the two teams played each other in a two-day ‘Test’ match format. Modern-day Tests on the international stage, however, are played over five days. The two teams also fielded 12 players instead of the traditional 11.

Key Takeaways

Cricket will feature as one of five new sports at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Other sports to be included at the LA28 Olympic Games are  baseball-softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash.