California to host cricket event at LA28

ISLAMABAD: The Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California, has been picked as the venue for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 Cricket event, which will be participated in by the best six teams in the world.

The cricket competition at LA28 will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s competitions as the sport returns to the Games after 128 years.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah has welcomed the confirmation of the venue and was looking forward to working in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure cricket’s success at the Games.

Jay Shah said: “We welcome the announcement of venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport’s return to the Olympics. “Although cricket is hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audience.

“On behalf of the ICC, I want to express my gratitude to LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support and look forward to collaborating with them and ICC Members in preparing for LA28 and making cricket a huge success there.”

Cricket, which made its only appearance in the Olympics at the Paris Games in 1900, was included in the Los Angeles Olympics after an IOC meeting in Mumbai in October 2023. Cricket joins five new sports at LA28 -- baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash.

The T20 format, which is recognized as the vehicle for the growth of the game by the ICC, has also featured in other multi-sport events in recent years. The Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023 featured both men’s and women’s T20 competitions while the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games staged a women’s competition.