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Pakistan may miss out on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics cricket event due to ICC’s new qualification system. Only one Asian team—likely India—will qualify directly, leaving Pakistan’s entry dependent on a tough global qualifier.
Hopes for an India-Pakistan match dashed
New Delhi: Every match between India and Pakistan is incredibly exciting for cricket fans, whether it's the Asia Cup or an ICC tournament. However, the chances of seeing such a high-voltage match at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are very slim.
This is due to the new qualification rules set by the ICC, which have made it almost impossible for Pakistan to qualify for the Olympics.
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What do the new rules say?
In a recent ICC board meeting in Dubai, it was decided that only six teams each in both the men's and women's categories will participate in the Olympics. This selection will not be based on T20 rankings, but rather one team from each continent will get a direct spot.
These include Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas (host). The sixth team will be selected through a global qualifier.
Only one team from Asia will get a direct spot, and India is currently at the top of the T20 rankings. Therefore, India's selection is almost certain. This means that Pakistan will have to go through the Global Qualifier to play in the Olympics—a very difficult path.
India vs Pakistan (Img: Internet)
Based on the current situation, the list of six potential teams could be as follows:
It is clear from this that if Pakistan wants to qualify for the Olympics, it will have to perform exceptionally well in the qualifying tournament.
Cricket will be officially included in the Olympics for the first time in 2028. According to the ICC report, a total of 28 matches will be played in the tournament, which begins on July 12.
There will be separate T20 format matches for men and women. This event will be historic for cricket, as it will further increase the global reach of the sport. A major challenge for Pakistan
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Once a powerhouse in T20 cricket, Pakistan is now outside the top three in the rankings. Questions are being raised about both their form and consistency.
Therefore, their Olympic qualification will depend solely on an exceptional performance. If Pakistan fails to win the qualifier, the world's biggest sporting event will miss out on a historic India-Pakistan clash.
