There is a reason cricket hasn’t made the Olympics – it is one of the world’s most popular sports. More than a century ago, it was part of the quadrennial event. Since then, it has not been included in the Olympics due to a failure to make an impact.
At the 1900 Paris Olympics, cricket became one of the sports. Cricket did not succeed. A number of reasons have prevented cricket from ever being included in the Olympics again, including the fact that most nations do not play it.
It is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer, which has a huge fan base. When it comes to being a part of the Olympics seems to have done no good to the sport.
There are 105 countries in the world that play cricket. However, only a handful of those countries have Test status. Furthermore, the World Cup (the sport’s premier competition) only features 10 or 12 teams. Cricket made an Olympic debut only in 1996.
Athens hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, which included a cricket event. As a result, the sport was withdrawn from the Games due to not having enough entries.
On the other hand, France, Belgium, Holland, and Great Britain were scheduled to compete at the Paris Games in 1900. Belgian and Dutch athletes withdrew at the last minute. England defeated France in the match.
Cricket’s exclusion is hampered by several factors
- Although cricket is a popular sport worldwide, it has not made an impact in countries that dominate the Olympics. As non-cricket countries, the hosts have also hindered cricket’s chances of being included in the prestigious quadrennial celebration.
- Cricket’s Olympic aspirations are also undermined by the time factor. The games at the Summer Games are too time-consuming and energy-consuming for large-scale versions of T20.
- A T20 revolution has been taking place for a decade, but larger forms of the game require far too much energy and time for the Summer Games.
- There is also a financial reason for not including cricket in the Olympics. Technical assistance-intensive matches that take up a lot of time and attract very few viewers are not welcome at any event.
- In addition to popularizing the three formats simultaneously, cricket is already under immense pressure. Cricket’s inclusion at the Olympics is also put at a disadvantage because it has to compete with other sports without multiple formats.
- The current state of international cricket is still quite discouraging for emerging nations looking to get involved. The game might eventually become more popular as nations embrace it.
- Despite their cash shortages, cash-rich boards such as India, England, Australia and New Zealand dominate the tour and tournament circuit.
- Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics is deferred for another reason, as it has a jam-packed schedule. Globalized T20 leagues and soaring fees are putting a strain on the players’ endurance, and national duty often takes a back seat to private leagues.