Cricket’s long-awaited return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 may not feature a high-profile Pakistan vs India encounter, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is close to finalizing a regional qualification format that will determine the six participating teams, according to international media reports on Saturday.
During the ICC Board meeting in Dubai on Friday, members discussed a proposed qualification pathway under which the top-ranked team from each continent would directly qualify for the Games.
If the proposal is approved, India is likely to secure Asia’s direct entry, while Australia (Oceania), South Africa (Africa), and Great Britain (Europe) are also expected to qualify automatically.
The fifth slot remains under debate — it’s yet to be confirmed whether the United States (USA) will qualify as the host nation, or if the West Indies will represent the Americas region.
As this qualification route would exclude several major cricketing nations — including Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh — the ICC has proposed that the sixth and final team be decided through a global qualifying tournament, with further details expected to be revealed soon.
“Discussions have been held regarding team participation, and it’s been agreed that five teams will qualify as the top-ranked sides from each region, while the sixth will come from a global qualifier. The overall framework has been finalized and will be announced officially soon,” said an ICC board member who attended the Dubai meeting.
Both men’s and women’s cricket events at the LA 2028 Olympics will be contested in the T20 format.
The ICC has confirmed that the tournaments will run from July 12 to July 29, 2028, with the women’s gold medal match set for July 20, and the men’s final on July 29.
Cricket’s inclusion marks its first Olympic appearance in 128 years — the sport last featured at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off final to win the gold medal.
