Cricket is returning to the Olympics for the first time in 128 years, and Team USA is already preparing to make its mark at the 2028 Los Angeles Games now 654 days away.The sport is one of the most watched in the world, but it remains less familiar to many American fans. Despite it's history.The very first ever national sporting event was a US-Canada cricket match. So this sport's been around in this country for a long time and so there's something to build on here," said David Patterson, Senior Governance Advsisor US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.During the Summer Olympics, each match will last about three hours the short version of the game. The goal for the offense is to score as many runs as possible by running back and forth along the cricket pitch, and a team bats until they are out, switching over twice.Jen Bryant, Senior Director of Sport Performance for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said soon, many people will know and learn the sport."It's a sport that is well supported and represented internationally. Something we're really excited about is having it here on our home turf in LA. More athletes, more sports, and more opportunities for Team USA to go out and do great things and inspire the next generation of athletes, and that's something we're really looking forward to across the board," Bryant said.Team USA Captain Monank Patel said fans can expect an exciting game on the field."You'll see a lot of sixes, boundaries, wickets, so very interesting game," Patel said.Patel said the team has already been building toward this moment."We played two World Cups back in 2024 and 2026, and with the Olympics coming in the USA, we are playing for the first time so we are very excited," Patel said.Saurabh Netravalkar, a left arm fast bowler on Team USA, has been playing cricket since he was 10 years old and joined the national team in 2018. He said the sport has changed dramatically in that time."I've seen the sport grow from a very scattered ecosystem to now becoming cohesive, it's growing exponentially every year. We want to give our best and put our best foot forward to then hopefully attract more fan base and hopefully the game goes more mainstream as well," Netravalkar said.For Netravalkar, the Olympic stage represents the next step in that growth."It's a big deal for us," Netravalkar said.Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade welcomed the team to Olympic City USA during a dinner at the Brit Pub downtown."For them to return, but also stop in Olympic City USA. I'm a little biased, but I think this is the right first stop for the team," Mobolade said.He said having the team make their mark in Colorado Springs is a big deal for the city."At the end of the day we are celebrating Team USA and on the global stage and in a global sport, so we're really excited, and that ties into all the other sports announcements that we have heard," Mobolade said, "Whether it's the UFL team coming right here in 2027 and the World Sixes lacrosse Championship in October of 2027, so Colorado Springs is growing up in so many ways, including Bruno Mars too."With the Games still 21 months away, Netravalkar said the team is focused on leaving nothing to chance."We have these 2 years to leave no stone unturned. There is a fair way to go to be at our peak. We want to peak at the right time. We are trying to put all pieces together with the resources that we have and hopefully we put up a big show there," Netravalkar said.The team will be traveling and preparing for the games and their current cricket matches. But as they begin training for the Olympics, they will be at the US Olympic and Paralympic training center. ...read more read less