Cricket, which last featured in the Olympics as a one-off game in 1900, will return to the sporting event after 128 years in the Los Angeles Games. The Organisers confirmed that the sport will be played in the T20 format, with six men's and women's teams competing for the coveted title. The sport will also feature in the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board approved a 90-player quota for cricket, allowing the teams to pick a 15-member squad for the showpiece event. The qualification criteria for the Olympics are yet to be revealed, but with the USA as host, they are likely to get a direct qualification, leaving five slots up for grabs. Cricket's return to the Olympics is a big deal and given the significance of the event, the ICC would want all the top teams to participate to make the sport a big hit. The qualification for the Olympics could possibly be decided by the rankings, i.e, the top five teams and host USA will qualify for the showpiece event.

Currently, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, and West Indies hold the top five positions in the ICC T20I men's rankings, while Australia, England, New Zealand, India, and South Africa occupy the top slots in the women's rankings. Given that the Olympics is still a fair way away, the rankings are likely to change. The bottom-ranked teams will be focussed on improving their rankings with an Olympic gold at stake.

If India and Pakistan manage to qualify for the Olympics, it'll be a massive success. Cricket has largely been restricted to a few countries, but if the arch-rivals get an opportunity to clash in the Olympics, it'll certainly draw massive global attention to the sport. However, Pakistan's form in the last few years has been ordinary, and they'll have to play exceptionally well to stay competitive and move up the ranking table.

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