Pakistan and New Zealand have become the first cricketing nations to voice their reservations over the qualification system likely to be adopted for the men’s cricket event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, according to a detailed report published by The Guardian. Reportedly, the new qualification format, devised in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), aims to ensure continental representation in LA 2028. Under this model, the top-ranked team from each region—Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa—will receive a direct entry, alongside the United States, who qualify automatically as hosts. The sixth and final spot is yet to be determined. The current T20I rankings suggest India (Asia), Australia (Oceania), England (Europe via Team GB), and South Africa (Africa) would occupy the regional slots, leaving a top-four ranked team like New Zealand on the outside looking in. Pakistan, ranked seventh but historically one of the strongest and most followed cricket nations, and New Zealand, sitting fourth in the rankings just behind England, both face the prospect of missing out on Olympic qualification—not due to performance, but geography.

 

 

The qualification model has reportedly been agreed in principle at the ICC’s Annual General Meeting in Singapore earlier this month, although it has yet to be ratified by the full ICC Board. Sources indicate that despite objections, the proposal is unlikely to be reversed. The situation has triggered concern and confusion in both Pakistan and New Zealand cricket circles. For New Zealand, the prospect of missing the Olympics due to Australia’s regional dominance is particularly frustrating, given their consistent record in global T20 tournaments. Similarly, Pakistan’s exclusion, despite its massive fanbase and cricketing pedigree, would be a significant blow to the global visibility of the sport during its Olympic return. The ICC is reportedly planning to push for an expanded Olympic cricket format at the 2032 Brisbane Games, which could see Pakistan and New Zealand at the games, but that is too far for anyone’s liking. Cricket is set to appear at the Olympics for the first time since 1900, when Great Britain famously beat France in the only match ever played. As discussions continue behind closed doors, the omission of globally competitive teams like Pakistan and New Zealand remains a thorny issue, raising broader questions about how global representation should be balanced with cricketing merit at the sport’s long-awaited Olympic return.