England, Scotland Cricket In Talks To Combined Great Britain Team For LA Olympic 2028

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Scotland are in discussions to collaborate on fielding Great Britain teams for the men’s and women’s cricket tournaments at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

Cricket’s return to the Olympics after a 128-year absence was confirmed last year, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) proposing a six-team T20 format for both events, expected to take place consecutively over approximately one week each.

As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC’s T20I rankings will play a role in determining qualification for the Olympic cricket tournaments, but specifics remain unclear. Notably, if England qualifies, they will compete as Great Britain, aligning with Olympic norms.

This presents an opportunity for Scottish players like Brandon McMullen, Sarah Bryce, and Kathryn Bryce to join the team. The ECB and Cricket Scotland have initiated talks on collaborating for Team GB cricket teams, with Cricket Scotland seeking active involvement in team management and contributing players and staff, while the ECB will serve as the designated governing body.

“With the Los Angeles Olympics four years away, it’s very early stages, but we’re talking to Team GB and Cricket Scotland about the next steps we need to take,” an ECB spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo.

“Once again Great Britain’s Olympians have captured the national imagination with their exploits in Paris this year, and we look forward to working together to compete when cricket returns to the Olympic stage in 2028.

“Along with England and Wales hosting Women’s and Men’s [T20] World Cups in 2026 and 2030, it’s another great opportunity to grow the game and inspire more people to develop a love for cricket,” ECB spokesperson added.

The location for the cricket competitions at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has not been finalized or officially announced, and a decision is still pending.