LA28 Olympics Organizers Confirm Six Participating Teams; Pakistan Thrown Out?

The shortest format of the game, T20 cricket, will be one of the five new disciplines at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. This LA28 program will be a six-team competition in both the men’s and the women’s categories.

There is a different buzz and excitement among the players for the tournament among the players. Virat Kohli, who retired from the 20-over format at the end of India's winning the T20 World Cup last year in the West Indies and the United States of America, has wished to be back in the format to take part in the LA28 competition.

Six teams to participate in both men’s and women’s events in LA28

The teams will have to name a 15-member squad for both men’s and women’s, with the official program released on Wednesday (April 10). It allocated 90 athlete quotas for each category. However, the management has not given any qualification criteria for the Olympic Games.

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If the USA gets the direct qualification being the home side, then there will be fewer spots left. There is also a question of who will represent the West Indies, with the Islands in the Caribbean participating as separate countries at the Olympic Games. They also do the same at the Commonwealth Games.

At Birmingham 2022, the women’s T20 cricket, where Australia beat India to win the gold medal, it was Barbados took part in the competition. Because of the West Indies' direct qualification, Barbados was selected for the event. They were the champions of the team’s regional competition of the time- the Twenty20 Blaze.

LA28 marks cricket’s return to the Olympic Games after 128 years

LA28 will be a return of cricket to the Olympics after 128 years. The last played in the event was a one-off match in Paris in 1900. It will also take part in Brisbane in 2032.

It was previously reported that all the team sports of the LA2 would be a six-team event in both men’s and women’s categories. Now the management has confirmed the news. In its proposal, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suggested that it would shortlist six teams on the T20I rankings at a cut-off date.

It's not the final call, but that final decision will be made later this year.

“Normally, the host country is one of the teams in the team sports, and then we look at a balance of global strength and regional representation, and try and find that balance within the available quota as well.” The IOC’s sports director, Kit McConnell, raised the question of the USA not being a full ICC member yet. They are in contention for getting a direct qualification for LA28.

India's men’s team drew at the Asian Games 2023

In the Asia Games Men’s T20I 2023, India straightaway played the first quarter-final against Nepal at the Campus Cricket Ground in Hangzhou by 23 runs. They batted first to post 202/4 on the board in 20 overs as Yashasvi Jaiswal nailed 100 runs in 49 balls before Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi shared six wickets between them.

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At the same venue, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side beat Bangladesh in the semifinal. They chased down 97 runs with nine wickets in hand and more than 10 overs to spare. The final, however, ended as a wash-out against Afghanistan.

India will be hoping to get selected for the LA28, and thanks to a strong side, they will look to display an all-around and balanced performance during the upcoming competition.