Fresh off India’s historic triumph in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, captain Suryakumar Yadav has already set his sights on the next major goal, winning gold at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

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Speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s emphatic win over New Zealand national cricket team, Suryakumar said his focus now shifts towards Olympic glory and the next edition of the T20 World Cup.

“Next goal is Olympics gold and the T20 World Cup which is also in that year,” the Indian skipper said following the title win.

India produced a dominant performance in the final, posting a massive 255 on the board after batting first. The bowlers then backed it up by dismissing New Zealand for 159, sealing a commanding 96-run victory.

With the triumph, India became the first team in history to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title. The victory also made them the first host nation to lift the trophy, while the third title further cemented their status as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

Cricket’s return to the Olympics

Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after a 128-year absence at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that six teams will compete in both the men’s and women’s events, with 90 players participating in each tournament. Matches will be played in the T20 format.

Cricket is among five sports added to the Los Angeles Games programme, alongside squash, flag football, baseball/softball and lacrosse. The qualification criteria for the cricket events are yet to be finalised.

Unlike Test and ODI formats, T20 International cricket is played by nearly 100 nations, which could make the qualification process highly competitive. As hosts, the United States could receive automatic entry into the tournament.

The event programme for the Los Angeles Games was approved by the IOC Executive Board on April 9. The 2028 Olympics will feature 351 medal events — 22 more than the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

While the core athlete quota will remain at 10,500, an additional 698 athletes will compete across the five newly added sports, according to the IOC.