https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/australia-india-south-africa-and-great-britain-qualify-for-women-s-event-at-la28-olympics-1543593

@cumberland

cricket at the olympics is such a stupid idea my god

@Jumpstart

Interesting ....

The Men's Team Scenario: Triggering the Playoff

The West Indies men's team is currently in an excellent position to officially trigger the West Indies Nations Regional Tournament.

• The Rule: If the West Indies do not qualify directly through continental means, they must place among the top 8 non-qualified teams in the global rankings by the December 31, 2026 cut-off.

• The Current Trajectory: Sitting firmly at 7th in the world, the men's team is comfortably inside that bracket. If they hold this form through the end of the year, they will successfully unlock that extra qualifying spot for the Caribbean.

• What Happens Next: Once the spot is unlocked, the West Indies men's team will temporarily disband so that individual islands like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana can play the internal playoff to see who gets to advance to the final Olympic qualifier.

Copied from IOC...

@Jumpstart

Ole man........cricket will grow even faster now

A most boring game like golf for spectators is there so why not an exciting game of cricket

@Narper

Couldn't understand his comment. Is not like he has to watch it.

@sgtdjones

Were we not once 4th?

@sgtdjones

The WI is not a country nor a federation.

Individual nations would have to play under their own flags.

@Narper

they said the same about breakdancing, bmx, skateboarding and surfing. breakdancing is now out of the olympics and there is no discernable increase in interest in skateboarding or bmx. if a world cup, with with the financial rewards on offer, isn't able to peak the interest of people in the US in cricket(2028 is in LA), its highly unlikely that cricket, where the winners don't receive any financial reward or appearance fee from the body governing the games(ioc president says she fundamentally does not believe in paying athletes) will do anything significant. The USA leg of the 2024 tournament costs 20 million more than what was budgeted for , which set USA Cricket on the road to ICC suspension, and I would not be surprised if American law enforcement agencies looked at that leg of the tournament with a suspicious eye

@Narper

Between the IOC and ICC ,funding must be a top priority for the growth of the Women's game especially.

The former entity has an obligation to provide significant funds to its Olympic Associations in all its member countries.and in matters of Women's participation it is very crucial.

In fact athletes of all stripes who are not the in the top echelon of their sport need such sustenance

to maintain and develop in their sport.

The time when the International bodies frown on paying or granting funds to athletes ,belongs to another past age. Times have changed and the challenges to young aspiring athletes in whatever Discipline is

far more demanding and crucial in these times..

Both International Bodies, the IOC and the ICC have the money to make a significant difference in Athletes lives and to sustain their own power structure for the betterment and benefit of all.

I hope cricket becomes big part of the Olympic Setup especially where it relates to Women's participation and the IOC must step up.and play iits big part.

Next to Soccer football, cricket is the next most played s[port .; The IOC must not ignore that and what it could mean for the future.

@hubert

Next to Soccer football, cricket is the next most played s[port .;

I’m thinking that’s mainly because of the vast population of India.

I don’t think cricket is widely played in any great numbers worldwide.

I would suspect Basketball is significantly widely played worldwide. Moreso than cricket.

@imusic

cricket's popularity is collapsing everywhere there are not indian nationals, NOIs or south asians. mehdi hassan wasn't even a cricket fan growing up, and that was the case for a lot of brown/black people who grew up in metropolitan countries. its why the MLC in its still can't fill a stadium, even after its 4th edition of the tournament. just because someone's name in the US or UK is Patel, Murugan or Singh, doesn't mean they are a cricket fan or have any interest in the sport. In fact most of the South Asians I've met in Europe and the US find cricket to be the most boring thing in the world, in addition to being very expensive to play. The one dude in Brussels I met who was interested in cricket was an older Pakistani man who left Pakistan at the height of WI domination of the sport

@sgtdjones

Wouldn't there need to be some kind of "West Indies Olympic Association" for the West Indies to compete as a team?

WI can only compete as separate nations

What a load!

Where was the enthusiasm when we were ruling the cricket world?

@Trex

CWI T20 team must be dismantled. Players are then selected to represent their island teams

They are saying the Caribbean islands and Guyana must have a tournament .

The winner of the tourney will represent us.