Team GB step closer to playing Olympic cricket in 2028 as new body formed

The prospect of Team GB playing cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games has moved a step closer with confirmation that the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Scotland are joining forces for the sport’s long-awaited return.

Cricket has not featured at the Olympics since 1900 but two six-team T20 tournaments for men and women are already booked in for the LA Games in three years’ time. The qualification criteria is yet to be announced but the ECB and Cricket Scotland are establishing “GB Cricket” to oversee their potential teams.

The next step is to have this body officially recognised by the International Cricket Council and the British Olympic Association before becoming a full member of the National Olympic Committee. A memorandum of understanding with Cricket Ireland is also being worked on to allow Northern Irish cricketers to be eligible for Team GB.

“It would be pretty cool to be able to play in the Olympics and get an Olympic gold medal,” said Harry Brook, the new captain of England’s white-ball side. “But it’s so far away – miles away yet – I haven’t even thought about it.”

Should qualification for the Olympics come down to world rankings then the ECB believe that England’s position – currently third in the men’s game and second in the women’s – would be used by the ICC. Things appear less clearcut for West Indies, however, who are made up of nations with separate Olympic identities.

The uncertainty has already prompted Cricket West Indies to issue a statement calling for a “fair and transparent pathway”. This included the suggestion that, should rankings be used – their men and women currently sit fifth and sixth respectively – a single representative country would then be decided via a regional tournament.

Another complication is whether, as hosts, the United States of America should get a spot in each tournament, cutting the number of qualifying berths to just five. Their men are 17th in the ICC T20 rankings, while their women’s side sit in 24th place.