How's China going at Rugby 7s?
It has not even made its Olympic debut yet nor is rugby 7's confirmed past the 2020 games at this stage. Wait until its a permanent fixture to run this argument.
You don't dominate technical team sports ( particularly Men's) quickly regardless of how much money and population you have to throw at it ( see just about every other team sport at the Olympics, Basketball, Soccer,Volleyball, Water Polo etc)
Those are sports popular in the continent and the Americas. In fact, typical cricketing nations are pretty much shit at those sports. China's record at Basketball is probably better than Australia's, but even if it is arguably not - does Australia have any medals in men's basketball? I would say China is doing better than NZ at all those sports, and probably all nations bar England for soccer. I really don't know and am not prepared to invest time in looking it up because I could not care less about sports like volleyball or water polo. But I bet China has more teams qualified in the Olympics for those sports you have written than any cricketing nation bar Australia.
Cricket only has 10 full ICC member nations, and 4 of those are Asian, England, and some former English colonies. As demonstrated by Afghanistan it does not take too long to get competitive in T20. China has a lot more resources at its disposal. Cricket does not feature largely on the continent, the Windies are the only Americas exponent, and likewise for Zimbabwe and Safrica for the African nations. That makes it heck of a lot easier to be a medal candidate in the sport.
Just ask the Irish or the Kenyans in 50 overs, a lot easier to upset in twenty overs. And they're won't be looking to dominate the sport, just to win medals at T20, and they'd probably expand to 50 overs as well I would imagine.
If Asian countries can play, compete and dominate cricket into the top 10, China will fancy its chances. Bangladesh only debuted in the 1999 cricket world cup. Afghanistan the 2015 world cup. But if cricket takes off in China, then there will two massive populations playing the game with massive financial resources. Two is better than one.
Afghan Cricket Association formed in 2000 by the way, and they have very little money. Imagine what they could achieve with funding for more specialized coaching than Inzimam. And now compare that to China. You have your own view on China that is different from many cricket writers? That is fine. Personally, I'd back the billion Chinese to learn cricket well and have India as their "rival" and "role model". The fact remains the Chinese government will not fund it until it is an olympic sport.
So do you agree with the ICC not trying to make it an Olympic sport? Because that is far more the issue than China's possible success at it. There are plenty more Olympic countries than just China.
Australians did not like the joke too much.
