ICC to push for T20s at the Olympics but open to any other format if IOC demands

When ICC recently announced that they will be bidding to get cricket into the 2028 and 2032 Olympics, fans felt it was high time that the sport got into the biggest sporting mega-event in the world. USA Cricket chief Paraag Marathe has confirmed now that ICC will be willing to accommodate any format which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would want. 

The ICC has formed an ICC Olympic Working Group which is headed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief Ian Watmore. The group also includes some notable names like Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi among others. If the 2028 Olympics sees cricket on its list, it will be the first time since 1900 that the sport will make an appearance in the Olympics. 

“I am hopeful that it is very likely. For the first time ever 106 member nations of the ICC are supportive of getting cricket into the Olympics,” Marathe told the Sport Unlocked podcast. “I think the T20 format is one that is easily digestible and works. It certainly works from a timing perspective. It fits the format of American sports, roughly three hours,” Marathe explained.

The most important thing for us is to get cricket in the Olympic Games: USA Cricket chief Paraag Marathe

For a long time, some cricket boards, especially the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had shown resistance towards the idea of having cricket in the Olympics. However, now with the approval from most of the boards in the world, ICC has finally decided to step up their game and enter the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and also have an appearance in the 2032 event in Brisbane, Australia. 

Marathe highlighted that because of the success of the IPL, it is more than likely that the IOC will choose the shortest format of the game. But, further said that the ICC is open to having any format of the game at the 2028 event. He also said that for now he knows and sees this as a first united effort made by the boards to get the sport into the Olympics.

“It’s an understood format because of the success of the IPL…but of course we will work with the IOC and if there is a different format they prefer then we are open to it. The most important thing for us is to get cricket in the Games. We do go in thinking that T20 is probably the best,” Marathe said.