Explained: Why Pakistan might not qualify for LA 2028 Olympics cricket

Cricket's historic return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics might not feature the anticipated India-Pakistan match. The tournament's qualification process and format, combined with USA's automatic host entry, could prevent this high-profile rivalry from materialising.The Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028 will mark cricket's comeback to the global sporting event. While cricket enthusiasts anticipate an India-Pakistan clash under the Olympic rings, the qualification pathway presents significant complexities.The International Cricket Council has confirmed the participation of 12 teams in the T20 events, split equally between men's and women's categories. The tournament will feature 28 matches in total, as decided during a recent ICC Board meeting in Dubai, where discussions with the International Olympic Committee focused on cricket's Olympic integration.As reported by TimesofIndia.com earlier today, the initial proposal to select teams based on ICC T20I rankings has been abandoned. Instead, the ICC Board has opted for a geographically balanced selection process.The new qualification system will likely allow each region or continent to send their highest-ranked team, with a global qualifying tournament determining the final participant.Based on current rankings, India from Asia, Australia from Oceania, England from Europe, and South Africa from Africa would likely secure direct qualification spots.

The remaining qualification spots present a complex scenario. One position could go to the USA as the host nation, while another might be contested between other American teams or potentially include the West Indies.Pakistan's Olympic participation will depend on their ranking performance and the structure of the global qualifier leading up to 2028.Even if both India and Pakistan successfully qualify, their meeting in the tournament would be determined by group arrangements and knockout stages.The Olympic return of cricket is confirmed, but the possibility of an India-Pakistan clash will be influenced by multiple factors, including rankings, regional qualification processes, and qualifier outcomes.