“It would globalise the sport”: Cricketers on cricket’s inclusion in LA Olympics

New Delhi: After cricket was confirmed as a sport for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, several cricketers from around the world expressed their happiness and excitement.
Cricket will make its return after 128 years to the multi-sport extravaganza.

India’s rising batting star Shubman Gill said in a video by ICC, “It would be huge for India, for us to be represented in the Olympics with so many countries competing. Winning a gold for the country, what is bigger than that?.”

Star Australia batter Steve Smith said that winning an Olympic gold would be special.
“Winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be incredibly special. I have watched the Olympics since I was a young kid and watching an Australian singing the national anthem after winning a gold medal, it looked great. To be able to do that would be special.”

New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi said that the whole world stops to watch the mega multi-sport event and the inclusion of cricket is a huge source of motivation.

“Olympic games is a historic event. When they come, the whole world stops to just to watch it. The prospect of cricket being there at the Olympics is a huge source of motivation for players like me to go there and do something special. Standing on the podium with a medal would be exciting.”

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said, “How good it would be representing India and putting up your flag and people watching it.”

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan said that the country has never won an Olympic gold and one in cricket would be the biggest thing in Bangladesh’s sports history. He also added that the move will globalise cricket.

“We never won a gold in the Olympics. It would be the biggest thing for Bangladesh sports. It will globalise cricket. There are a lot of teams coming up, but this would be huge,” said Shakib.

South African speedster Kagiso Rabada said that one gets motivated by these athletes whenever they do something remarkable.

“When you see a player achieve a remarkable thing as an athlete, you want to do the same thing on the world stage. Something has to inspire you to want to reach that level and beyond,” said Rabada.

Smith chose Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, who won five medals in swimming at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and emerged as the most successful athlete in the competition.

“Who could forget Neeraj’s medal? (gold medal in javelin throw in 2020 Tokyo Olympics). Nobody,” added Gill about India’s “golden boy”.

Ashwin expressed his admiration for athletics legend Usain Bolt. The Jamaican sprinting icon has eight Olympic medals, all gold.

“I used to watch Bolt’s 100 m races a lot. He must have felt on top of the world. I could see that on his face. That was the beauty of the Olympics. You train for 3.5 years for that moment,” said Ashwin.

The 2028 event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the ongoing 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai.