As of now, cricket is played in only a few countries. Though cricket featured in the Commonwealth Games a few years ago, one wonders if it will be that easy to gain a place in the Olympics, unless it spreads to more countries.
The Olympic Games will hold centre stage and this will be one occasion when cricket will probably be nudged to the back seat. To make their opinions relevant and timely, leading cricketers across the world have said that the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics would be the ultimate victory for the game. It might strike some as wishful thinking at this point in time, but there is every possibility that cricket can become an Olympic sport in the future. However, this will i nvolve a lot of hard work from the administrators as the game needs to be popularised in many countries for it to gain acceptance in the Olympics. Obviously, the T20 version of the game is the appropriate one and has a realistic chance of gaining approval. But, currently, there is a fair amount of rancour among the cricket governing bodies of the world. One only hopes that the issues are sorted out sooner rather than later in the interest of the game.
The success of the IPL has suddenly made every nation think that they can cash in as well when the going is good. There is every reason to believe that other Boards can also succeed in their versions of the T20 leagues, but to try and put a spoke in the IPL’s wheels is something that will be contested strongly. It is alright to nurse ambitions and plan a league to generate huge revenues, but the ploy of other cricket Boards to ask for compensation and royalty from the BCCI is extraordinary. The other Boards seem to have no qualms in making such requests, but a strong reaction from the BCCI is considered strong-arm tactics!! One must give the BCCI the credit for organising such an event so successfully and if possible the other Boards can learn a few lessons from it. However, a former cricketer who has taken control of a governing body in his country is resorting to some strange tactics. It won’t be long before the relationship between the governing bodies deteriorates further if such crazy tactics are not nipped in the bud.
This being the situation, it will be next to impossible to work together and hasten the adoption of cricket in other countries, which will make a good case for the game to be included in the Olympics. As of now, the game is played in only a few countries. Though cricket featured in the Commonwealth Games a few years ago, one wonders if it will be that easy to gain a place in the Olympics, unless it spreads to more countries. But considering the prevailing harmony or lack of it, there is a danger of polarisation among the 10 Test playing countries. The T20 is not the only bone of contention as the future of Zimbabwe in international cricket is another issue that can keep the decision makers at loggerheads. If the governing bodies are serious about getting cricket into the Olympics, they have to stop squabbling and sort issues out through discussions and get on with what will be an enormous task.
As far as the cricketers are concerned, it will be the ultimate honour to participate in the Olympics, as no other event can fetch world-wide recognition as the Olympics can. The entire world will be watching every moment and every tic from the athletes will be keenly followed. The immense recognition is not the only motivating factor for the cricketers to bat for inclusion in the Olympics. It will also give them the biggest opportunity to garner glory for their country on a different level. A victory in the ICC World Cup is the only way to achieve this as of now, but an Olympic medal is something that all athletes will be willing to give anything for. It is early days yet but the seed has started germinating within the cricketing fraternity and hopefully the game will feature in the Olympics probably in 2020.
As and when it happens, all the cricketers will be pleased as that will bestow the highest honour on the future generations. It is alright for everyone to have a dream, but it all boils down to the process that the organisers of the game put in place. The current indications are that the governing bodies are focussed on the revenue that the T20 format can generate, but one must realise that it is the T20 format that has a realistic chance of gaining entry in the Olympics. It is all about T20 and let’s hope that whatever bitterness exists will blow over and give way to a 20-20 vision.
Needless to add, there will be more money to be had if the game gains popularity in other nations. The focus must then be on getting the game going rather seriously in countries where cricket is played as a past-time over weekends.
How soon and efficiently these nations are made to take up cricket seriously will decide on whether cricket will become a part of the Olympics.
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