India women team excited to play cricket at 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Indian women's skipper Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her happiness at cricket being included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, saying that the team is looking forward to it.

Cricket will be a part of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 and will make its return after 128 years to the multi-sport extravaganza, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Monday.

"We all got very excited the moment we got to know that we could be a part of the next Olympics. All members of the team are looking forward to that. Hopefully, we can perform at the Olympics the way we did at the Asian Games," said Harmanpreet in a video posted by the International Olympics Committee (IOC).

The 2028 event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the 141st IOC session being held in Mumbai.

Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. But it is now being played in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Two IOC members opposed the proposal and one abstained from voting.

"The proposal from the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (@LA28) to include five new sports in the programme has been accepted by the IOC Session. Baseball/softball, cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash will be in the programme at LA28. #IOCMumbai2023," IOC Media posted on 'X'.

The inclusion of Cricket at the Olympics was welcomed by Nita Ambani, chairperson of the Reliance Foundation and an IOC board member.

"The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics will create deeper engagement for the Olympic Movement in newer geographies. And at the same time, provides a boost to cricket's growing international popularity. I thank and congratulate the IOC and the LA Organizing Committee for their support of this landmark decision. It's truly a day of great joy and jubilation!" Nita Ambani said.Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also welcomed the addition of the game to the Olympic roster.

"After a wait of more than a century, our beloved sport is back on the Olympic stage at @LA28. This marks the dawn of a new era for cricket as it will be a golden opportunity to foster inclusivity and showcase new talent from emerging cricketing nations. A start of something truly special!" Tendulkar said in a post on X.

The IOC session in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The session serves as a key meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Important decisions regarding the future of the Olympic games are made at the IOC Sessions. India is hosting the IOC session for the second time after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC's 86th session was held in New Delhi in 1983.