The IS ICC World Cup 2023 Sunday it culminated in a celebratory dynamic with Australia being crowned six-time champions, but the jury is still out on the future of the ODI format, whose relevance in today’s cricket has been debated for some time.
India is the heart of world cricket and near-packed stadiums were expected for most of the World Cup matches over the 45-day event at the game’s spiritual home. It was no surprise that India has delivered the largest ever ICC ODI World Cup attendance.
A record crowd of over 1.25 million people filled the stadiums but the same buzz and fanfare is likely to be missing when a bilateral series takes place anywhere in the world including India. Test cricket is loved by the players and purists and T20 is the format that is equally popular and used as a tool to spread the game around the world. Attention spans are shorter than ever in the digital age and not all have the time and enthusiasm to spend 8 hours for an ODI match.
Also Read: ICC World Cup 2023 sets all-time tournament attendance record of 1.25 million
The ICC event in India has shown that many people are accepting the format if it is a global event but the bilateral ODIs do not inspire the same confidence henceforth. That is the question: Should ODIs be played only in a World Cup year? If not, the format should be changed on the advice of legends like Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar.
The format is not a high priority for most teams with India only playing in six ODIs next year and Pakistan not having a game scheduled until November 2024 even though they are hosting the Champions Trophy next year share.
During the 2023 ICC World Cup, Akram opined that the format should be reduced to 40 overs per side and Tendulkar wants to break the ODIs into four innings of 25 overs each to break the “monotony”. .
“I have a problem with ODI cricket at the moment. Nowadays in one-day cricket you rarely see something interesting happen in those 30 (middle) overs. Go to 40 overs, you will have more action during of that period. I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I think 40 overs would be more interesting, especially for bilateral series. Today for viewers, we know their (attention) span is less than the nineties, because of the T20 format and because of social media. We have to adapt,” Akram told Fox Sports.
A menacing bowling partner But first he also expressed his views on the matter in the middle of the World Cup he was commenting on.
“ODI cricket is too batsman friendly. Suggest @ICC 2 new balls to start, remove 1 ball after 30 overs, continue with the other. At the end that ball will be just 35 overs age. We’ll see reverse at the end. Save the art of #ReverseSwing,” he posted on social media.
However, Cummins’ comments after Sunday night’s World Cup victory bode well for the ODI format. Unlike the slam bang format of T20, ODI cricket is played in gears and gives more challenge to the cricketers.
“I have to say, maybe because we won, I fell in love with ODI again this World Cup. I think that the story in which each game is really important, that it means a little different and just bilateral,” he admitted.
Two Indian fans, who traveled across the country following the team in the 2023 ICC World Cup, had a moment to remember, but they also want immediate changes in the way the 50-over game is played.
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“In the current situation, two innings of 20 overs each should be packed in six hours. Toss and conditions are void to some extent. Eight hours is too long and needs to be changed,” said Gurgaon-based Inderpreet Khurana referring to the World Cup final where the afternoon dew made batting easier for Australia.
Atirav Kapur, who traveled to Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Dharamsala and Lucknow for India’s matches in the league stage, is a fan of ODI cricket but does not see it surviving in its current form.
“Since the biggest ever ICC rights deal was recently signed and the ODI WC 2027 is a big part of that, I think ODIs will be “forced” to survive. Although, overall, it is bound to wind up slow. – I don’t think viewers can wait to watch a game for 7+ hours anymore – it’s too long for one day.”
(With agency input)
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