Not based on Rankings! ICC reveals how teams will be picked for LA Olympics 2028

Cricket will mark its return in LA Olympics 2028 for the first time since 1900. 

In what has been the latest development, as per the reports in Times of India, it is learned that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided how six teams will be picked for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket will mark its return the global games for the first time since 1900. 

The ICC’s board meeting, which took place in Dubai on Friday, 7th November, saw discussions related to how teams will be picked for the LA Olympics. It was confirmed that six teams each in the men’s and women’s categories will be picked but not based on the rankings in the T20I format, which was the initial idea. 

The reports claimed that five teams will be picked from each region/continent, while the sixth team will make the cut through a global qualifier. This means that the top team from each region based on their rankings will make it into the LA Olympics. 

It has been decided that the six teams will come through the top-ranked team from each region/continent, while the sixth comes from the global qualifier – Veteran administrator

Based on the current rankings, India from Asia, Australia from Oceania, England from Europe, South Africa from Africa will be there. The question now remains if the governing body picks the United States of America (USA) from America as they are the hosts or they would give the nod ahead to the West Indies. 

“There have been discussions around the participation of teams, and it has been decided that the six teams will come through the top-ranked team from each region/continent, while the sixth comes from the global qualifier. The details will be shared by the ICC in due course, but the roadmap has more or less been frozen,” says a veteran administrator who was part of the meeting in Dubai.

After the meeting, the ICC also released the official statement on their discussions related to the LA Olympics. The media release stated: 

“The Board reviewed the ICC’s ongoing engagement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), as cricket deepens its footprint in the global multisport landscape. At LA28, both the men’s and women’s T20 events will feature six teams each, comprising 28 matches in total.”

There are also very less chances of an India vs Pakistan clash in the Olympic Games as the details of the global qualifier are yet to be known. 

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.