How a heady mix of IPL & Kohli helped cricket secure 2028 LA Olympics berth

T20's fast format and ability to attract a young audience also helped clinch the slot

Long before the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL), cricket had a tryst with the Olympics.

This was back in 1900, when Paris was gearing up to host the Summer Olympics, and the city’s upscale cycling stadium, the Vélodrome de Vincennes, was being renovated to host Belgium, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands in a cricketing tournament.

Belgium and the Netherlands did not turn up for the event.

Great Britain cobbled up a team comprising amateurs from a touring club called the Devon and Somerset Wanderers.

Hosts France had trouble assembling 12 cricketers, and it seemed cricket’s much-awaited debut at the Olympics would