ICC Chairman Jay Shah, at an event in Surat, called for India to bid for the 2036 Olympics and set a goal of winning 100 medals. He also spoke about the Indian cricket team's recent successes and the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup.
Jay Shah Advocates for 2036 Olympics Bid
International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah ICC Chairman Jay Shah recently flagged off the Run for Girl Child Half Marathon 2.0 in Surat. During the ceremony, ICC chair Shah said that India should also bid to host the 2036 Olympics. Shah also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the Commonwealth Games to India in 2030. The former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Shah said that in the 2036 Olympics, India should win 100 medals, with 10 coming from Gujarat.
"The Prime Minister has brought the Commonwealth Games to India in 2030, but we shouldn't stop there. We must also bring the 2036 Olympics to India. We won eight medals in the 2024 Olympics, but I want to tell you all that eight medals won't be enough in 2036. We have to win at least 100 medals. Of those 100 medals, we will win at least 10 from Gujarat. I have complete faith in that," Jay Shah said.
Shah on India's Cricket Triumphs
During the speech, Shah also discussed the Indian men's cricket team winning back-to-back ICC white-ball events (2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy) after the heartbreak of the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, we won hearts but could not win the trophy. At a private event, I said that in 2024, we would win both the hearts and the cup and we did, winning the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup final. We also won the Champions Trophy," Jay Shah added.
Looking Ahead: T20 World Cup 2026
Meanwhile, the Suryakumar Yadav-led India are set to defend their title at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The defending champions are placed in Group A alongwith Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan and the United States of America. The Men in Blue will begin their campaign against the United States on February 7.
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