GB cricket squad gets closer to the Olympics in Los Angeles

With the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Scotland collaborating to form a Great Britain (GB) team, cricket’s return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 has advanced significantly. Male and female athletes from England, Scotland, and possibly Northern Ireland will make up the squad.

To manage the endeavour, GB Cricket, a new governing body, is being established.

The ECB and Cricket Scotland will have both executive and non-executive members on its board. The men’s squad would essentially be defending the Olympic championship that cricket had only ever played for in 1900, when Great Britain had won it in Paris.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Cricket Ireland will guarantee Northern Ireland’s representation. Even though Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are both represented by Cricket Ireland, it is improbable that Republic players will try to qualify for Team GB. However, Northern Irish players including women’s wicketkeeper Amy Hunter, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, and Ireland’s white-ball captain Paul Stirling might be able to play.

In the upcoming months, GB Cricket is anticipated to formally form. Following its formation, it will work to get acceptance from the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), with the ultimate goal of joining the National Olympic Committee (NOC) as a full member.

It has not yet been decided how to qualify for the event, which is anticipated to consist of six teams. The men’s and women’s teams from England will, however, automatically qualify; players from Scotland and Northern Ireland will then be taken into consideration.

Harry Brook, England’s new white-ball captain, will play his first ODI against the West Indies at Edgbaston on Thursday. He acknowledged that competing in the Olympics will be thrilling and that winning a gold medal would make him pleased.

Being able to compete in the Olympics and win an Olympic gold medal would be really awesome. But it’s still miles away, so far away. “I haven’t even considered that yet,” ESPNcricinfo cited Brook as saying.