Overview
Cricket is a bat-and-ball team sport with origins in 16th-century England, played today by hundreds of millions of fans, particularly across the Indian subcontinent. The sport featured at the Olympic Games only once before, at Paris 1900, where Great Britain defeated France in a single two-day match. Cricket returns to the programme at Los Angeles 2028 after the IOC approved its inclusion in October 2023, making it the second Olympic appearance in the sport's history.
Cricket is played between two teams of eleven on a grass oval with a 22-yard pitch at its centre. One side bats, attempting to score runs by hitting the ball and running between two sets of wooden stumps called wickets, while the other side bowls and fields, attempting to dismiss the batters and limit the score. The sport is played in three main international formats: Test matches that span up to five days, One Day Internationals limited to 50 overs per side, and the fast-paced Twenty20 format of 20 overs per side.
LA 2028 will use the T20 format with men's and women's tournaments featuring six teams each, set to run from 12 July to 29 July at Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona. The sport is governed worldwide by the International Cricket Council (ICC), founded in 1909 and headquartered in Dubai, with 12 full-member nations and 96 associate members. Cricket's Olympic return reflects the global growth of the T20 format, the expansion of women's competition, and rising interest in the sport across the United States.
Featured News
Qatar Cricket Association President Elected to Asian Cricket Council Executive Board
Bangkok : HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Saud Al Thani, President of the Qatar Cricket Association (QCA), has been elected as a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Executive Board for 2026, representing the Qatar Cricket Association, in a new achievement reflecting the growing presence of Qatari cricket on the Asian stage.The election took place during the 2026 Asian Cricket Council Annual General Meeting, held in Bangkok, Thailand, with the participation of representatives from the host nation, Qatar, several GCC countries and a number of Asian cricket associations.The election of the Qatar Cricket Association President to the ACC Executive Board recognizes Qatar’s growing role in supporting and developing cricket and strengthening the sport’s presence at both regional and continental levels. It also represents an important step towards expanding the participation of Qatari sports officials in decision-making at the Asian level.The appointment also reflects increasing confidence in Qatari sports officials and underlines Qatar’s growing position within the Asian cricket community, opening new opportunities for cooperation and development while supporting efforts to promote the sport and broaden its participation base in Qatar and across the region.The achievement adds to Qatar’s growing record of success across the sporting landscape and further underlines the country’s active presence within continental and international sports organizations and federations.
Qatar to host International Cricket Council Meetings in March
Doha: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled that Doha is set to host the ICC's Board of Directors and its Committees from March 25-27, 2026, in a move that demonstrates the State of Qatar's growing standing on the global sports stage.In a statement, the council highlighted that opting for Doha comes in recognition of the rapid growth of cricket sports in Qatar, as the participation rate has recorded an upsurge of 447 percent since 2020, the highest growth rate at the level of the member states.This remarkable evolution comes by dint of a series of both school and societal initiatives that helped broaden the practitioners' base, attract a variety of age groups, as well as reinforce the talent exploration program and upgrade sports infrastructure.The meetings are projected to debate a raft of strategic matters related to advancing this kind of game on the global stage, alongside going over expansion plans and fostering partnerships amid the increasing interest in cricket sports in the Gulf region.Hosting these meetings in Doha manifests the global confidence in its organizational capabilities, thereby strengthening Doha's presence as a regional hub for hosting major sporting events and forums.
Qatar beat Malaysia in T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
Doha: Skipper Mirza Mohammed Baig led from the front with an impressive all-round display as Qatar cruised to an eight-wicket win over Malaysia in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier match at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman today.Malaysia batted first and scored 123 for 9, while Qatar chased down the target losing only two wickets, in 17.1 overs. The victory lifted Qatar to second place in Group A with two points.
Qatar Cricket Team gets better of Kenya in 2025 ICC Men's World Cup Challenge League
London - Qatar national cricket team secured a narrow victory over Kenya, winning 243-242 in their match at the 2025 ICC Men's World Cup Challenge League, currently being held in Jersey, UK. The tournament runs until August 31 and features numerous teams from around the world.The match saw standout performances from several Qatari players, notably Imal Liyanag, who scored 107 runs off 136 balls, becoming the first player to reach this milestone in the tournament.This performance highlights the advancing level of Qatar cricket team on the international stage, reflecting ongoing efforts to achieve further success in the future.Qatar had lost its opening match of the tournament to Kuwait, with a score of 277-299.The team is set to face Denmark on Wednesday, followed by a match against Papua New Guinea on Saturday, as part of the ongoing competition.