The year 2028 might see the Indian cricket team taking part in the Olympics. Yes, it is true! News has come in that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided conditional approval for the Indian side to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games that will be held in Los Angeles.
And now, Ian Whatmore, a member of the ICC’s Olympic committee has offered his opinion regarding the same. Adding that the game will spread globally, Whatmore stated that cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics would provide an excellent opportunity to take cricket to newer audiences.
Whatmore, who is also a member of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also added that the ECB will enthusiastically help towards achieving this outcome.
“The game will spread all over the world. In the US, in South America, and in China. We want to help grow the game globally and believe cricket’s inclusion within the Olympic Games would provide a wonderful opportunity to showcase our sport domestically and take it to new audiences around the world. The ECB will enthusiastically support efforts to secure this outcome,” said Whatmore, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Cricket has a massive audience
Also, an important criterion for a sport to be added to the Olympics is viewership, and cricket would tick this metric with ease. Cricket is one of the most popular games in the world and is followed by close to 2 billion people. And, if included in the Olympics, the sport would attract unprecedented viewership.
Whatmore also created a utopian scenario. He created a picture of Indian cricketing legend Virat Kohli winning the Olympic Gold Medal. Adding that it would become one most important things that can ever happen to a sportsman, Whatmore stated that it would be the equivalent of Roger Federer winning the gold medal in the sport of Tennis.
“Now Imagine Virat Kohli, who has won everything in cricket, getting an Olympic gold medal. It becomes very special. Like Justine Rose winning a golf gold or Roger Federer winning a tennis gold. It is one of the most important things to happen to a sportsperson,” concluded Whatmore.
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