Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley wants the 2028 Twenty20 World Cup in the country to be the springboard towards the 2032 Olympics.
Australia was handed the 2028 men’s tournament on Tuesday night, meaning it will host two T20 World Cups in six years when considering the 2022 edition.
The announcement by the International Cricket Council (ICC) comes off the back of Australia’s T20 success in Dubai, with the event in seven years’ time to be co-hosted with 2021 runners-up New Zealand.
As part of the white-ball events schedule, the United States will host Cricket World Cup matches for the first time as supporting hosts with the West Indies in 2024.
India will host the 2023 ODI World Cup as previously planned, as well as the 2031 edition of the tournament with Bangladesh and the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka.
The powerful nation, whose television and sponsorship cash bankrolls much of international cricket, has also claimed the 2029 Champions Trophy, meaning it will hold four global events over the next decade – while every Test nation except Afghanistan will at least co-host one in that time frame.
Namibia have won hosting rights to an ICC tournament for the first time, supporting South Africa and Zimbabwe for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Pakistan has also returned to the ICC’s schedule, winning the rights to be the host nation of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Ireland and Scotland will help England host the 2030 T20 World Cup, gifting them their first top-tier tournament matches since 1999.
It comes as cricket continues its push to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if not Brisbane in 2032.
And Hockley hopes the 2028 T20 tournament in Australia can serve as part of that pathway for the sport’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900.
“World Cups have the ability to bring communities together and inspire our next generation of fans and players, exactly as we saw for the ICC Women’s 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia,” Hockley said.
“We hope this can help build momentum in growing the game globally and take us a step further towards having cricket feature in the Olympic Games.
“With the 2028 event providing a perfect stepping stone into the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.”
Host countries for women’s events over the next decade will be announced next year, with New Zealand already announced as the host for the 50-over World Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, the ICC said the move to take games to the USA was part of a longer-term strategic move for the sport.
“The USA … is a strategic growth market for us,” ICC chair Greg Barclay said.
“This gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with fans in traditional cricket nations and also reach new fans around the world.”
HOSTS OF GLOBAL MEN’S CRICKET TOURNAMENTS
T20 World Cup
*2022: Australia
2024: United States & West Indies
2026: India & Sri Lanka
2028: Australia & New Zealand
2030: England, Ireland & Scotland
ODI World Cup
*2023: India
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe & Namibia
2031: India & Bangladesh
Champions Trophy
2025: Pakistan
2029: India
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