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    Cricket Returns To The Olympics After 128 Years, 28 More Medal Events Added For LA Games

    Cricket Returns To The Olympics After 128 Years, 28 More Medal Events Added For LA Games

    Cricket is all set to make a historic return to the Olympic Games after a gap of 128 years, with six teams vying for glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Organizers officially confirmed the development on Wednesday. The sport last appeared in the Olympics in 1900, during the Paris Games, where Great Britain faced France in a one-off, two-day match — now considered an unofficial Test. At LA 2028, cricket will be played in the fast-paced T20 format, featuring six teams in both men’s and women’s competitions. Each squad will include up to 15 players, with 90 athlete quotas allotted for each gender. Also Read: Paris Paralympics Sets New Global Broadcast Coverage Benchmark The International Cricket Council (ICC) comprises 12 full-member nations, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, 94 countries hold associate membership. While the qualification criteria are yet to be finalized, it is expected that host nation USA will receive a direct entry, leaving five remaining spots to be filled through ICC rankings or a qualification process. The top five ranked teams as of a designated cut-off date are likely to secure their places. While the qualification criteria are yet to be finalized, it is expected that host nation USA will receive a direct entry, leaving five remaining spots to be filled through ICC rankings or a qualification process. The top five ranked teams as of a designated cut-off date are likely to secure their places. Cricket joins four other new sports added to the LA28 Olympic roster: baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave its nod to their inclusion in 2023. On Wednesday, the IOC Executive Board approved the event program and athlete quotas for the Los Angeles Games, introducing 22 additional medal events compared to Paris 2024. The LA28 program will now feature a record 351 medal events, while the overall athlete quota remains capped at 10,500. An additional 698 slots have been allocated to accommodate the newly included sports. In a significant step toward gender equality, LA28 will be the first Olympic Games where all team sports will have equal representation for men and women. Boxing will also reach full gender parity, with the addition of a seventh women’s weight category, matching the men’s events.Prakhar SachdeoThe Sportz Planet Desk

    Reliance Industries (RIL) Acquires 49% Of Oval Invincibles

    RIL acquires Oval Invincibles

    Reliance Industries Limited, parent company of Mumbai Indians, signed a deal with the Oval Invincibles of The Hundred, acquiring a 49% stake in the franchise, valued at 123 million pounds sterling for the entire team. Reliance will pay 60 million pounds sterling for the total equity of 49 percent. Reliance Industries (RIL) Diversifies Cricket Business Portfolio The acquisition of the Oval Invincibles is a major step by RIL as an expansion of its cricket franchise, which it has already invested in on other frontiers: Mumbai Indians (IPL and WPL), MI New York (MLC), MI Cape Town (SA20) and MI Emirates (ILT20). The sixth team under the RIL Banner will add momentum to the Company’s global cricket presence-the Invincibles. Also Read: WPL 2025 Auction: What Do Each Team Need? Intense Competition And Acquisition Terms Their bid defied strong competition from a Silicon Valley tech consortium comprising Google’s top executive, a senior Microsoft executive and the head of Adobe, not to mention private equity giant CVC. According to reports, RIL’s final bid valued the Invincibles at £123 million, with the company’s 49% stake costing just over £60 million. The ECB has yet to officially confirm the successful bidders, though an announcement is expected next week. Oval Invincibles – A Strong Brand One of the most successful brands that came under The Hundred was Oval Invincibles. Similar to men, they took away consecutive titles for The Hundred, and their women’s teams also won two consecutive titles for each respective The Hundred. This epitomised success and attracted the gaze of investors. RIL came out as one of the strong contenders for English cricket. Surrey To Retain Majority In Invincibles Even with new investment by RIL, though, the control of the Surrey, the owner of the franchise Invincibles will not be going as the county club had stated early on that they would hold to the majority percentage of their equity even as host venues were granted the option for selling 51% of it in the privatisation process provided by the ECB. Knighthead Capital To Buy Birmingham Phoenix On the flip side, reports say, US-based hedge fund Knighthead Capital won Birmingham Phoenix. It will be Knighthead’s first adventure in the world of cricketing after it had bought Birmingham City Football Club back in 2023. In addition, it is investing in the city in new developments including a “sports quarter.” A Year Of Transition For The Hundred This might just be another exciting turn of things in The Hundred as RIL comes in and replaces the Invincibles. This will definitely be a transition year for the tournament, at least for 2025 which falls between August 5th to 31st. ECB was actually not looking to go head to head with Major League Cricket; one could see how all this was going to be playing out into the future. As the season progresses, little other than a lead story should be written inside the embryonic narrative of The Hundred as these big-name ownership deals start to have their say. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye

    No Captain’s Event Or Photoshoot Before Champions Trophy 2025

    ICC Champions Trophy 2025

    The PCB confirmed that no official ICC captain’s meet or photoshoot would precede the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.  No Captain’s Event For Champions Trophy 2025 For the first time, the Champions Trophy will be skipped in the buildup to the event in Pakistan. The host nation usually organizes this meet in the host country. In the case of the first ICC event in Pakistan after 1996, i.e. the Champions Trophy 2025, the usual meet would be skipped. Reasons Behind The Logistical Challenges Unlike the Champions Trophy in 2017 that took place in the UK where there was a captain’s event and photoshoot, this tournament will not repeat the same this year. According to the PCB, there was no plan for an opening ceremony, further revealing that neither the ICC nor the PCB had planned one. However, the PCB will host a special event on February 16 in Lahore three days before the opening match to mark the tournament. The reason for not attending the captain’s event and photoshoot was logistical. The tournament will be played in four venues across two countries, and with tight schedules for teams, many will arrive in Pakistan close to the start of the tournament. In fact, Australia’s team will not reach Pakistan until February 19, the day of the opening match. Effect On India’s Participation This also provides a fillip to the debate over India playing in the captain’s event. India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series since 2012 due to political tensions and have met each other only at ICC events. Under the tournament’s hybrid model, India’s matches, which will include the final if it reaches there, will be staged in Dubai. Glorifying Renovated Grounds In a further buildup of the excitement, the PCB has planned ceremonies at the completion of refurbished stadiums in Lahore and Karachi. Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, under renovation, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on February 7, 2025 and National Stadium, Karachi, by President Asif Ali Zardari on February 11, 2025. This will indeed mark the start of a keenly awaited tournament in Pakistan. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye