Cricket legend Adam Gilchrist has called for the sport's Twenty20 format to be adopted as an Olympic event in the year 2020.
A week out from the opening of the Beijing Games, Gilchrist claims that re-introducing cricket as an Olympic sport would have the dual benefit of growing the sport internationally, and also boosting the Olympic movement's popularity on the subcontinent.
The former Australian star, who retired from international cricket this year but played in the inaugural Indian Premier League, has urged the International Cricket Council to push for cricket to be considered for inclusion at the 2020 Olympics.
In an article he's written for the
Deccan Chronicle, an Indian newspaper, Gilchrist envisaged the Twenty20 format could become popular in countries like the United States, China, Italy, France and Japan.
"How would players feel about competing at the Olympics? Take it from someone who has won almost everything cricket has to offer — the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle in sport," Gilcrhist writes.
"I know plenty of Olympic champions and know how Sydney 2000 changed Australia — let me tell you it would be massive for cricketers. Cricketers won’t care about the money — the chance to stand on top of the Olympic podium, to wear an Olympic gold medal and the pride of belting out your national anthem would be a life-changing money-can’t-buy experience.
"Is it a realistic dream? I really believe it is."