Cricket has officially reclaimed its spot as an Olympic sport. After more than a century—specifically 128 years since its 1900 appearance—the game is returning to the world's biggest sporting event. The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will feature T20 Internationals for both men and women.
The 2028 Los Angeles Games are expanding their program, with cricket joining other newly added sports like squash, flag football, baseball/softball, and lacrosse (sixes).
Following Monday's official announcement, much of the credit for cricket's inclusion was attributed to the influence of Virat Kohli. His massive global popularity likely acted as a catalyst for the organizers. Kohli isn't just a player; he's a global ambassador for sports. By May, he became the first Indian to surpass 250 million followers on Instagram, placing him just behind the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of social media dominance.
While discussing the decision at the 141st IOC session, Niccolo Campriani, the Sports Director for the LA 2028 Committee, pointed to Virat Kohli's immense digital footprint. He mentioned that with 340 million followers, Kohli is the third most-followed athlete on the planet—a number that actually surpasses the combined following of American icons like Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, and LeBron James.
Campriani noted that this is a perfect arrangement for the IOC, the LA28 organizers, and the sport itself. Bringing cricket to such a massive global platform allows it to expand far beyond its traditional strongholds and connect with entirely new audiences and athletes. Interestingly, back when cricket was last an Olympic event, Great Britain took home the gold after beating France.