Porterfield in favour of Olympic inclusion

Cricket : Ireland captain William Porterfield has backed Adam Gilchrist's appeal for cricket to be included in future Olympics…

Cricket: Ireland captain William Porterfield has backed Adam Gilchrist's appeal for cricket to be included in future Olympics.

Ireland booked their place at next year's World Twenty20 in England with a four-wicket win over Kenya on Monday.

And Porterfield said: "The opportunity to showcase our talents in front of a global audience of potentially billions would be just fantastic.

"It would help us popularise the game in Ireland, and build on our success in the World Cup last year." We've just qualified for the World Twenty20 in England next year, and I know how much both the players and fans enjoy the format.

"I really do think it's the future in terms of getting new fans on board.

"It's every sportsman's ambition to participate in the Olympics — and the chance to play in front of packed stadiums with a worldwide audience would be a great experience for everyone."

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