Cricket's eagerly awaited return to the Olympics in the 2028 Los Angeles Games is a remarkable milestone for the sport, and a significant factor contributing to this inclusion is none other than the global cricket icon, Virat Kohli. His immense popularity and reach played a pivotal role in making cricket an Olympic discipline once again.
After making waves at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, cricket is set to grace the Olympics stage in 2028, marking its return after an absence of over a century. The International Olympic Committee officially approved the inclusion of cricket, including both men's and women's T20 formats, showcasing the sport's evolution and its growing global appeal.
One of the driving forces behind cricket's inclusion at the Olympics is its increasing popularity in the United States, with the upcoming T20 World Cup and the success of the Major League Cricket serving as catalysts for this decision. Beyond these factors, the influence of Virat Kohli cannot be underestimated.
Kohli is a global ambassador for cricket, transcending boundaries and capturing hearts worldwide. He achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first Indian to reach 250 million followers on Instagram, solidifying his status as a social media sensation. Globally, he is only surpassed by football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in terms of Instagram followers, with 314 million followers of his own.
Niccolo Campriani, the president of the LA Local Organising Committee (LALOG), acknowledged Kohli's far-reaching appeal and its significance in promoting the sport on a global stage. Campriani highlighted Kohli's position as the third-most followed athlete in the world on social media, outshining prominent figures like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Tiger Woods combined.
Cricket, with its immense fan base of approximately 2.5 billion enthusiasts worldwide, holds the distinction of being the second-most followed sport on a global scale, trailing only football. To provide context for this staggering statistic, Kohli's Instagram following surpasses the combined total of followers of some of the world's most celebrated athletes, including Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Shohei Ohtani, and Patrick Mahomes.
The inclusion of cricket in the 2028 LA Olympics is a testament to the sport's universal appeal, with Kohli's influence amplifying its significance. However, one potential downside is that Kohli may not participate in the Olympic cricket competition, given his shift away from T20Is for India and his age, as he will be nearing 40 by the time the LA Games arrive.
When cricket was last played in the Olympics in 1900, Great Britain secured the gold medal. Recent achievements, including the Indian women's cricket team's silver medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the gold medals won by both the men's and women's cricket teams at the Asian Games, have further underscored cricket's growing prominence on the international stage.
In addition to cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash will also make their presence felt at the 2028 LA Olympics. Cricket's inclusion is not just a victory for the sport itself but is also a testament to the remarkable global appeal of players like Virat Kohli, who transcend boundaries and contribute to the sport's continued growth and recognition on the world's largest sporting stage.
