There were times when people all over India and around the world used to stay glued to the entirety of an ODI cricket match. The drama, the hype, the anticlimax and the nostalgia surrounding the same was palpable. There were close fights and nervy moments, drawing mistakes from even the best and making the ODI format a riveting cricketing saga.
Fast forward to 2023. Things have changed dramatically. The recently concluded 2023 cricket World Cup is a prime example where cricket lovers were bereft of the contests witnessed in old times.
Barring a couple of contests, one between Pakistan vs South Africa and another between Australia vs New Zealand, the tournament lacked thrilling finishes that you expect in WCs. Yes, there were a handful of upsets. Afghanistan went on to beat England and Pakistan, while the Netherlands derailed South Africa. But contests are what make everyone watch a cricketing extravaganza like the World Cup.
50-over Format Struggling to Keep Pace with the Popularity of T20 Cricket
The T-20 cricket is without doubt exciting and draws cricketers and fans in huge numbers. The rise of many T-20 leagues, especially IPL, has made foreign cricketers even desert their national team for international assignments. The glamour and the money of these leagues are humongous, keeping cricketers on top of their finances and helping them enjoy a luxurious life. Whereas 50-over games didn’t happen much after the 2019 cricket World Cup. Teams were very reluctant to play ODIs (the name of the 50-over game) as the focus was predominantly on T20s and Tests.
So, How to Keep the Interest Alive in 50 Overs?
A tough question to answer. Either the teams will have to play ODI cricket regularly or the ICC must step in to incorporate the formula devised by the batting legend Sachin Tendulkar long ago by splitting an ODI game into 25 overs four times. Much like a test match, but way more interesting if the ICC does enact this rule to regain the old sheen of ODIs.
