Daily Times

The Olympic Games is the world’s biggest sporting festival: biggest in the numbers of its competitors, its spectators, the global reach and television coverage. Pakistan legend Wasim Akram is keen to see cricket becoming an Olympic sport in future. In an exclusive interview with Daily Times, former Pakistan captain Wasim, who claimed 414 Test and 502 ODI wickets, said that cricket should feature in the Olympic Games through its shorter versions. “The idea of cricket being part of the future Olympic Games should be raised and debated,” he added. Cricket was originally scheduled to be included in the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics, which were held in Athens, Greece. There were, however, insufficient entries and so no event was held. The event was held at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris four years later but it was badly affected by the lack of participation after Belgium and the Netherlands pulled out, leaving Britain and France to play. The match was played over two days with both 12-a-side teams batting two innings each and did not attract first-class status. Britain won the match by 158 runs to lift gold medal. Last seen as an Olympic sport in 1900, cricket has not appeared since though many voices have been raised over the years for inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games. It is pertinent to mention that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has 104 member nations currently: 12 Full Members that play Test matches, and 92 Associate Members. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised cricket as a sport in 2009.

In 2018, the International Cricket Council expressed its desire to get cricket included at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Since then, after much debate and politicking, there has been a renewed push in recent years for cricket to be reinserted on the biggest stage in sports with the 2028 Games the earliest opportunity. Wasim urged the International Olympic Committee to support cricket to become part of the Olympics. “Cricket can add value to the Olympic Games. Cricket should not be played in one or two Olympics. Cricket should become a mandatory sport like athletics and swimming. The cricket playing nations must get united in a desire to be a part of the Olympics, then I think we would have a very good chance in persuading the IOC that cricket is a sport that can add value to the Olympics going forward,” Wasim opined.

Cricket has been part of the multi-sport events like the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. Cricket was part of the Asian Games in 2010 in Guangzhou, China and 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. Pakistan women’s cricket team won gold medals twice at these Games. Cricket was not held in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. But in 2019, the Olympic Council of Asia decided the return of the sport in the 2022 Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou, China. The last time cricket featured at the Commonwealth Games was in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The men’s team of South Africa won gold medal after defeating Australia by four wickets in the final with New Zealand winning bronze medal. Women’s cricket tournament has been included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Wasim, who played 104 Tests and 356 ODIs, said cricket should also be a permanent sport at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. “These Games should include both men and women events.” Wasim, also known as ‘The Sultan of Swing’, said cricket was a popular enough sport in numerous countries and there would be healthy competition with many nations trying to qualify. “Also, cricket is a true sport that requires true athleticism and skill. Cricket will also increase the popularity of the Olympics in some nations where it has less of a following. I think the best cricket nations in the world should be rewarded with a chance to compete to be Olympic champions,” he maintained.

Wasim said all Test playing nations and the ICC should continue making their concerted efforts so that cricket be included in the Olympics. “The single best way to spread the game globally is for the ICC to actively seek its inclusion as an Olympic sport.” Wasim observed that without doubt the Olympic Movement provided one of the most efficient and cost effective distribution networks for individual sports to spread their wings globally. “It would be difficult to see a better, quicker or cheaper way of spreading the game throughout the world.” Several moves have been made by the game’s administrators in recent years to begin a campaign to get cricket back in the Olympic programme. Wasim said cricket was an important, popular sport and very powerful on television. “It’s a sport with a great tradition where mostly you have a respect of the ethics.” He said field hockey had been part of the Olympics Games for almost 100 years with many years being dominated by Pakistan and India. “The Olympic Movement’s only remaining dead pocket in the world happens to coincide with cricket’s strongest – the subcontinent. This region, which includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, represents just over one fourth of the world’s population. But with the exception of Pakistan and India’s great hockey teams of the past, these four cricket powerhouses have received barely a handful of Olympic medals in nearly 100 years of competition. What better way for the IOC to spread the Olympic brand and ideals into this region than on the back of T20 or T10 cricket? The rewards for both the ICC and the IOC getting this right would be enormous,” Wasim concluded.