SYDNEY: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has expressed his enthusiasm for cricket’s return to the Olympics, with the sport set to feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
It is cricket’s first appearance at the Games since 1900, when Great Britain triumphed over France by 158 runs to secure the gold medal.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially confirmed cricket’s inclusion during the 141st IOC session held in Mumbai in October 2023.
Commenting on the historic decision, Ponting said: “It can only be positive for our game. I’ve sat on various committees over the last 15 or 20 years and it’s always been at the top of almost every agenda – how do we get the game back to the Olympics? And finally it’s there.”
The former legend hopes to see cricket grow in popularity in the US over the next four years, especially with the support of Major League Cricket (MLC).
“Only four years. Once again, at this stage in the US, hopefully with MLC (Major League Cricket), another four years on the track, hopefully growing. Who knows, maybe there will be even more teams in the MLC by then. I think it also gives cricket a chance to break through to the grassroots level in the US. But what I want to say about the Olympics is that it is not the host country. It’s about the audience opening it up,” he said.
He added that the Olympic platform will introduce cricket to a wider audience.
“The Olympics are watched by so many people around the world, it just opens up a whole new audience to our game, which seems to be growing every day. It can only be positive for the game,” he concluded.
The recent display of cricket during the T20 World Cup in the USA, including a thrilling India vs Pakistan match, demonstrated the sport’s potential to engage American audiences.
With the T20 format set for the LA Olympics, the inclusion of cricket in 2028 promises to be a major milestone for the sport’s global expansion.
