Cricket venue for Los Angeles Olympics revealed; Jay Shah, Shah Rukh Khan hail ‘exciting times’

Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona, California will be the venue for the cricket events at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed on Thursday with the "ground breaking ceremony" taking place a day before the official announcement.

ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said the venue will be "cricket's home for LA28" while ICC Chairman Jay Shah and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan also hailed it as another step in the expansion of the game on the global level.

The ground had already been confirmed to host the home matches of the Los Angeles Knight Riders at the upcoming season of Major League Cricket with a total of seven matches scheduled at the venue. With Los Angeles set to host the Olympics in 2028, the ground will serve as the venue for both men's and women's cricket events at the Summer Games.

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Jay Shah says LA stadium is a giant stride for cricket

“These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport,” Shah said.

“Our focus has been on expanding the footprint of cricket and being part of the Olympic movement is something that brings both pride and dreams with it.

“The groundbreaking marks an important milestone in cricket’s return to the Olympics and is a proud moment for all ICC Members and stakeholders worldwide. We’re confident this venue will take centre-stage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA," the ICC chief said.

With cricket making its return to Olympics after 128 years, Gupta said that the inclusion of cricket into the Summer Games reflects the love of billions of fans of the sport.

“This is a moment in history because what we are breaking ground on today is not simply a cricket field. We are breaking ground on a promise. A promise that took 128 years to keep,” Gupta said speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the venue.

“That’s how long the world’s second most popular sport, a game played and passionately followed by more than 2.5 billion people, has been missing from the Olympic stage.

“When the International Olympic Committee formally approved cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Games, it wasn’t just a scheduling announcement. It was a recognition that the Olympics should reflect the sports that billions of people love,” he said.

Khan, the co-owner of Knight Riders Sports, also hailed the moment as a beginning of a dream to bring cricket to Los Angeles.

"Today isn't just about breaking ground, but about beginning a dream - bringing cricket, the second most-watched sport in the world, into the heart of Los Angeles' sporting identity," Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of Knight Riders Sports, said. "Through our long-term partnership with Fairplex, we aim to create not just a cricket ground, but a space of energy, community, and belonging."

Tim Sandoval, the mayor of Pomona, LA28 vice-president of sports Niccolo Campriani, chief executive of Knight Riders Sports, Venky Mysore were also present on the occassion.