The Knight Riders franchise is all set to etch its name in the history of the game. It will be a historic moment for the team and obviously for the game of cricket, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed a spot for the Olympics.
For more than a decade, cricket has been a global multi-sport event. Before the upcoming Olympics, Knight Riders have started a big project. The franchise is setting up its home ground in Los Angeles. It will be the home ground of the LA Knight Riders and will also be the venue for the Olympics.
Cricket is in front of history
On Thursday, April 23, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said that the return of cricket to the Olympics is the fulfillment of a promise that has taken more than a century. In 2028, during the flagship ceremony, the new Knight Riders facility will be in place to stage the historic moment.
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said, “This is a moment in history because what we are working on today is not just a cricket ground. We are fulfilling a promise. A promise that took 128 years to fulfill.”
When the International Olympic Committee formally approved the inclusion of cricket in the Los Angeles 2028 Games, it was not just an announcement of an event. It was a recognition that the Olympics should reflect the sports that billions of people love. The International Cricket Council humbly accepted that recognition with our full commitment”, he said.
Compared to football or many other sports, cricket was largely considered a sport with a limited number of fans, as there are only a few teams that play cricket around the world.
The vision of the Jay Shah-led ICC is to spread cricket to every corner of the world. Through the Twenty20 format, the game is now more accessible to many countries. Cricket has taken hold to some extent in European countries also.
Gupta said, “I want to acknowledge the role of the Los Angeles Knight Riders in making this promise possible. The Knight Riders Group, owners of cricket franchises in India, the Caribbean, the UAE and the United States, have made a bold announcement by establishing their official home ground here with a clear vision of establishing this region as the center of the future of cricket in the Americas.”
Why did ICC choose Pamona as the Olympic venue?
Knight Riders saw the US as a prosperous market. With the ambition of building a community there, the franchise has begun building its own facility in Pomona.
“I can’t imagine a better place than Pomona to deliver on this promise. The best things in sports happen when ambition meets community, and Pomona has both. This site has served the people of Los Angeles County as the home of the LA County Fair, as a gathering place for business, culture and celebration,” said the ICC CEO.
He added, “There is something appropriate, almost poetic, about the fact that a venue built on the idea of community coming together will now host a sport that is fundamentally about community.”
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