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No India-Pakistan At Olympics As Pakistan Set To MISS LA 2028 Qualification: Reports
Follow UsUnder the speculated format, the highest ranked team from each continent is set to qualify
In what’s set to be a huge blow for Pakistan cricket, the country looks all set to miss out on qualification for the 2028 Olympics at Los Angeles.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that LA 2028 will be a six-team event (with one spot reserved for hosts USA) and now according to Guardian Sport, the ICC, following discussions at their AGM in Singapore, have proceeded to use the regional qualifying format.
Under the format, the highest ranked team from each continent will qualify, meaning India (Asia), Australia (Oceania) and South Africa (Africa) will all qualify. Great Britain (Europe) will also get automatic qualification under this format.
That will leave the likes of Pakistan (Asia), Sri Lanka (Asia) and New Zealand (Oceania) missing out on qualifying for the Olympics.
“The IOC (International Olympic Committee) favour regional qualifying to ensure all parts of the world are represented at the Games so it is a truly global event,” the Guardian report read.
Should India, Australia, Great Britain, South Africa and USA (hosts) all qualify, it will leave one vacant spot. It will be up to the ICC to decide how that spot is filled. There is a chance that one of the Caribbean Islands could end up getting the sixth and final spot. The 2022 Commonwealth Games (Women) saw Barbados represent the Caribbean Islands.
LA 2028 will be played in T20 format. The ICC confirmed earlier this month that the T20 competitions for the men’s and women’s categories at LA28 will run from 12 July to 29 July 2028. The medal matches will be held on 20 July (Women’s) and 29 July (Men’s) respectively.
Cricket will be making a comeback to the Olympics after 128 years, with Great Britain winning gold over France in a one-off match in 1900.