Usain Bolt, famous for his speed on the track, talks about his love for cricket, saying T20 is the best format because it’s fast. Usain Bolt thinks T20s and ODIs are getting more popular because they’re quick, showing that cricket might be moving in a faster direction.
Usain Bolt, the legendary sprinter with eight Olympic gold medals, has a career unlike any other. But the “Lightning Bolt” has a surprising connection to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Most recognize Usain Bolt for his dominance on the athletics track. This Jamaican sprinter ruled for over a decade, securing triple gold medals in both the 100m and 200m races at three consecutive Olympic Games.
Bolt’s explosive starts and phenomenal speed shattered world records, making him a global sporting icon. Since retiring in 2017, Bolt has explored ventures beyond athletics, including music and entrepreneurship. Usain Bolt was recently named the ambassador for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies. Given Usain Bolt’s familiarity with life in the fast lane, it’s no wonder he chose T20 as his preferred form of cricket. The sport runs in his “blood,” influenced by his father’s passionate fandom.
What Usain Bolt Said
Usain Bolt spoke with PTI during a telephone interview from New York on Wednesday night.
He said,
“I grew up on cricket. My dad was a massive cricket fan and still is. It is something that I have always in my blood. To get to be a part of cricket again as an ambassador is wonderful. I never got to live my dream of being a cricketer so to be ambassador of T20 World Cup is wonderful,”
Heading to the makeshift cricket stadium in New York, where one of the T20 World Cup games, India versus Pakistan, is set to take place on June 9, Bolt couldn’t contain his excitement, talking about cricket with the enthusiasm of a child. In recent months, he’s been traveling the world for music and football, among other activities, leaving him with little time to catch live cricket on TV, including the ongoing IPL.
The ‘Lightning Bolt’ added,
“I have not been able to watch as much as I would like to but when I get time I try to catch up on T20s.”
Bolt remains most excited about speed, which is why he considers T20 the top format of the game as he commented,
“T20s for sure… When they started it was a great idea and still is. It compresses the game because you have to be strong and quick but also be strategic, set a field and get things done quickly. To me, it combines a Test match and one day to create the perfect game,”
Bolt isn’t alone in the Caribbean in his attraction to the shortest format. Even elite cricketers are now celebrated more for their performances in T20 leagues than their contributions to the West Indian team. With the T20 craze growing, Test cricket in the region is under serious threat, a sentiment Bolt shares, believing the future belongs to the slam-bang format.
He concluded,
“I think the T20s and one-dayers (ODIs) are still massive in the Caribbean. People don’t enjoy Test cricket that much. It is all about the speed of the game, big hitters like Andre Russell, so for me that is the direction that is going in (the game is going in the Caribbean) It will bring more people to watch the sport. Because people love excitement. That is the key,”