Cricket Bid for Olympic Inclusion Gains Traction

(ATR) Twocricketing heavyweightsare backing cricket's bid for inclusion in the 2024 Olympics.

Speaking to the BBC cricket show "Stumped," Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkarsaid that adding the sport to the Olympic Program would raise cricket's profile.

"I think it's a great idea," Tendulkar said. "I reckon the t20 format is the most popular format and the most acceptable format for people who don't have any knowledge about cricket.

"If there are a number of teams participating you cannot possibly have ODIs or Test matches. The t20 format seems to be the one."

The t20 format is a shortened version of cricket which can be played in a few hours and has gained popularity over the past several years. Test matches can take several days to complete.

"I'd love to see cricket as an Olympic sport and I think t20 would be a great format," Warne said.

"Who knows, down the track we might be able to inspire some young Americans to take up a cricket bat rather than a baseball bat. That's an exciting thought."

International Cricket Council chief executive Dave Richardson and director Giles Clarke are meeting with the IOC soon to "explore the possibilities" of cricket as an Olympic sport.

If the IOC Executive Board votes to include cricket in the 2024 Games, it would mark the first time the sport had been contested at an Olympics since 1900.

New sports for the 2024 Olympics will need to be proposed by the host city. The IOC will finalize the 2024 Olympic Program in 2017.

Written byNicole Bennett

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