Olympics | Pakistan

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday announced the dates for cricket’s return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, stating that matches will be played on June 12, 2028. Cricket is returning to the Olympics for the first time since the Paris Games in 1900 with a proposed six-team Twenty20 format for men and women in Los Angeles. The IOC had said in October 2023 that cricket’s inclusion had the potential to activate and engage new audiences, with the sport’s worldwide fan base estimated at 2.5 billion people. A press release issued today said the sport’s highly anticipated return was revealed with the official competition schedule. Cricket “will play out starting July 12, with the 20th and 29th of the same month earmarked for the medal matches”, the press release read. “There are no cricket matches scheduled on July 14 and 21 at LA28,” it added. “Most of the matchdays will be double headers, with the games starting from 9am and 6:30pm as per local Los Angeles time. It’s the same for the medal mat...