Virender Sehwag bats for T10 in Olympics

Mumbai: Former India opener Virender Sehwag is eager to see cricket making it to the Olympic Games. He said the T10 would be the ideal format for the big ticket event.

“I think cricket should be a part of the Olympics. If the ICC is considering about talking to the International Olympic Committee, T10 is the right format,” said Sehwag, who will lead Maratha Arabians in the T10 league, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates from December 14.

“T10 is over in 90 minutes like a football match. Also, more nations can participate because one batsman or one bowler is capable of winning you the game. So every country is capable of producing players who can win T10 matches,” he added.

Sehwag felt T10 would bring in more countries into the competition and provide a level-playing field.

The ICC comprises 105 members but only 12 are full members. The world governing body is pushing for the game’s inclusion in the 2024 Games. The only time cricket was part of Olympics was way back in 1990.

Sehwag joked that T10 is the perfect format for him as he does not have to run much. “If this comes through, then we would love it because it would allow us to play a game of full cricket, doesn’t matter what the format is,” he said.

Sehwag is also taking the sport to uncharted territories including Switzerland, where he will be playing in February alongside other former players such as Mahela Jayawardene, Shoaib Akhtar, Daniel Vettori, Mohammad Kaif and Graeme Smith.

In the UAE T10 tournament, Sehwag would be  leading a squad which features former Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan players Mohammed Amir and Kamran Akmal.