As the debate heats up over whether Twenty20 cricket is eating up the share of the pie reserved for Tests and one-dayers, it is well worth discussing how the shortest form of the game could pave the way for a long-awaited marriage of the sport with the Olympics.

The long duration of a cricket game and the lobbying against its inclusion has always prevented cricket from being an Olympic sport in the past. Cricket was included at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998 but it failed to catch the eye as the cricket boards of most countries did not let the sports organisations field their best sides due to other tournaments and commitments.

The non-Test playing teams were weak and the gap between them and the top ones looked even wider as they played 50 overs. After Malaysia 1998, cricket has not featured in Commonwealth Games - until now. There are plans to include it in the 2010 Games to be held in New Delhi, India. The success of the sport there could pave the way for the gentlemen’s game to finally be considered for the Olympics.

London - the home to Lord's cricket ground, hailed as the Mecca of cricket - would be the perfect Olympic destination for the sport to make its debut. With Twenty20 being only a three-hour affair it would fit very nicely into the schedules.

And if the matches were given international status by the International Cricket Committee, it would further increase its credibility. The only thing that will need to be ensured is that international cricket is not going on elsewhere at the same time as it could invite divided opinions and loyalties.

Inclusion of Twenty20 cricket will be a win-win situation for everybody concerned. It will bring cricket more popularity and help its globalisation - and it will generate big revenues for the organisers of the Olympics as well. In most countries the Olympic sports are given top priority and cricket’s inclusion in the Games would persuade more countries and more of their citizens to take up the sport.