Cricket’s first World Cup in the U.S. is just three years away fuelling momentum in the sport’s $3 million bid for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Cricket’s first World Cup in the U.S. is just three years away, as an ambitious International Cricket Council (ICC) delivered a major statement on Tuesday in an effort to energize its $3 million Olympic bid for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The sport’s worst kept secret was officially unveiled at the board’s meeting in Dubai with the U.S. confirmed to co-host the 2024 T20 World Cup with the West Indies. Fourteen host countries were selected in the eight showpiece events in the 2024-31 cycle — a welcome change from the much derided hogging in the current cycle of the ‘big three’ countries of Australia, England and India after their infamous power grab in 2014. “At least it’s evenly spread now as opposed to the ‘big three’ setup when they got everything,” a board director told me. Still, mighty India got their share with three events despite there being a feeling from insiders that the undisputed power would only host two. England and Australia, however, only received one event each. Spreading these lucrative tournaments around — and to several new destinations — was a welcome sight for those advocating for greater equality and seemingly indicates India’s all-powerful governing body has become somewhat receptive under chiefs Jay Shah and Sourav Ganguly. There had been fears India would smother the sport after gaining a stranglehold of the board 12 months ago after a controversial chair election. Pakistan has seemingly benefited after nabbing the 2025 Champions Trophy — the first time it will host an ICC event since 1996.
