Australian great Gilchrist backs Twenty20 for Olympic Games in 2020

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The former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman has called on the cricketing authorities to do everything in their powers to get their sport included in future Olympics if they want to turn it into a truly global game.

Cricket was granted 'recognition status' by the International Olympic Committee last year, and Gilchrist sees the 2020 Games as a fitting time for the shortest form of the game to take its place in the programme.

Adam Gilchrist wants Twenty20 cricket at the Olympic Games

Crucially, he also believes the IOC could be lobbied effectively by the International Cricket Council given the increase in interest the sport's inclusion would generate among the subcontinent's massive, cricket-mad population.

'With Twenty20 cricket here to stay, now is the time for the 10 full-member nations of the ICC to plan for the development of the sport over the next 100 years,' Gilchrist wrote in the Deccan Chronicle.

'We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world.

'I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use to aggressively sell the message of our sport to all 202 competing Olympic nations, so our sport is strong and robust in countries where it is currently played and exciting and ground-breaking in countries who haven't yet caught the cricket bug.'

Gilchrist, who played for the Deccan Chargers in the hugely successful Indian Premier League, added: 'The Olympic movement knows it needs to increase its presence in the Asian subcontinent as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute nearly 22% of the world's population.

'In theory, this is a win-win for the Olympic movement and the ICC and its members.'

Cricket is likely to face competition from sports such as baseball, golf and karate should the ICC decide to launch a formal campaign for inclusion in future Games.
The sport has not featured at an Olympics since 1900.

It is understood Gilchrist's stance has the full support of Cricket Australia, the game's governing body in his homeland.