A high-voltage cricket clash between India and Pakistan at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics appears unlikely after the International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced a new qualification rule for the T20 format.
Under the revised framework, only one team from each continent will gain automatic qualification for both the men’s and women’s cricket events. With India currently leading the Asian T20 rankings, Pakistan may not make the cut unless Asia is allotted an additional berth.
The Olympic cricket competition will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s categories, with matches scheduled to begin on July 12, 2028. The ICC said the qualification structure aims to ensure broader global representation in the sport’s return to the Olympic stage after more than a century.
While cricket’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics has generated huge excitement worldwide, the new qualification criteria mean that one of the sport’s most anticipated contests — an India–Pakistan face-off — may not take place.
