(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Rivals India and Pakistan are becoming less likely to face each other at the LA 2028 Olympics, which means American fans will miss out on the most popular game in the sport. A recent report states that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has settled on how the teams will be selected, with only six teams chosen each for the men's and women's events. At first, the ICC considered picking these teams based on their rankings. However, they have now shifted to a new approach: the top five teams from each continent or region, along with one team from a qualifying round. Therefore, only one team from Asia will qualify directly, determined by the rankings. Currently, India will be the representative from Asia, Australia from Oceania, England from Europe, and South Africa from Africa — all four are already among the top five in the rankings. Generally, the host nation also gets automatic qualification, but it is not yet clear if the USA or the West Indies will fill that spot for the Americas.
Details about the qualifying round are still pending, which leaves the door open for Pakistan (if they don't qualify from Asia ahead of India), although several other strong teams will also be competing for that position. "There have been talks about which teams will take part, and it has been decided that the six teams will come from the top-ranked teams in each region or continent, while the sixth will come from the international qualifier. The ICC will share more information soon, but the plan is mostly set," quoted a long-time administrator who attended the ICC meeting in Dubai. The ICC had previously confirmed the six-team format in a public announcement. “The Board examined the ICC’s ongoing collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), as cricket expands its presence in global multi-sport events. At LA28, both the men's and women's T20 competitions will showcase six teams each, totaling 28 matches,” read the media statement.
