Udaipur, May 17, 2025: Cricket will be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Six teams will take part in both the men's and women's categories.

The names of these six teams have not been finalised yet. But a bigger question is being asked in the Caribbean: There are 13 independent countries in the West Indies, so which one will play in the Olympics? In cricket, the West Indies is one team. This team includes players from 15 countries and territories like Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

Cricket in Olympics: A Rare Event

Cricket was played in the Olympics only once before—in 1900 Paris Olympics. Great Britain beat France by 158 runs in the only match played.

Who Will Represent the West Indies in the 2028 Olympics?

Cricket will be played at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But there is confusion in the Caribbean: Which country will represent the West Indies?

In cricket, the West Indies is a single team made up of players from 15 countries and territories, such as Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana. However, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, only independent and sovereign nations can take part in the Olympics. That means a team named “West Indies” cannot play.

CWI Wrote to ICC for a Solution

To solve this, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has written a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC). CWI President Kishore Shallow said that Caribbean athletes have inspired the world in the Olympics. He believes young cricketers from the region should not miss this chance.

CWI's Two Suggestions to ICC

CWI has suggested two possible ways for a country from the Caribbean to play in the Olympics:

• Choose one island nation through a local tournament in the West Indies.

• Allow sovereign West Indies nations to take part in an ICC qualifier for Olympic spots.

Final Decision Still Pending

The ICC has not yet decided how the six teams will be selected for the Olympics. Normally, rankings are used in such cases.

• West Indies men's team: 5th in T20 rankings
• West Indies women’s team: 6th in T20 rankings

If the USA gets a spot as the host, only five more teams will qualify. That might make it hard for a Caribbean country to get in.

Olympic Values of Fairness

CWI has reminded the ICC about the Olympic Charter, which promotes fairness and universality. They want to make sure one of the West Indies' countries gets a fair chance.

Commonwealth Games Faced the Same Problem

This issue also happened in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. At that time, Barbados represented the West Indies in cricket. They were selected after winning the regional T20 Blaze tournament.