While cricket featured in two recent editions of the Commonwealth Games, notably in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Birmingham in 2022, it has been notably absent from the Olympic Games since England's victory over France in a one-off match in Paris, which secured the coveted Gold medal in 1900.
The possibility of cricket making a comeback on the Olympic stage is gaining momentum, with LA28 officials recommending its inclusion as part of a list of sports presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for approval.
This move sets the stage for cricket's potential return at the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad in five years' time.
Greg Barclay, Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), expressed his delight upon hearing the recommendation and eagerly anticipates the final decision in the future.
"We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics," Barclay said.
"While this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century.
"I’d like to thank LA28 for their support during the new sport evaluation process over the last two years, and we look forward to the final decision being taken at the IOC Session, in India, during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup next week."
As cricket fans and players alike await this momentous decision, the possibility of witnessing the sport on the grandest sporting stage of all, the Olympic Games, grows ever closer.
The return of cricket to the Olympics could mark a historic moment for the sport and bring joy to cricket enthusiasts around the world.
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