ODI cricket is just ‘too long’, should be reduced to 40 overs: Wasim Akram
Perth: Legendary Pakistan fast-bowler Wasim Akram believes that ODI cricket is just ‘too long’ as the 50-over format in its current form and wants for it to be reduced to 40 overs. Pakistan finished at fifth place in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup and aren’t scheduled to play a 50-over game till November 2024.
“There’ll be another 50-over World Cup? God, do something about ODIs. It’s just too long. The format has disappeared, especially the bilateral series. It’s a very different format from T20 and Test cricket, it’s kind of in between. You have to be a specialist.”
“I’ll probably go 40 overs instead of 50 because the attention span is gone. It’s disappearing a bit because of the T20 format. Test cricket is the ultimate, no doubt,” said Akram while commentating on day three of Australia-Pakistan Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
He also pointed out that lack of action in the middle-overs is a point of concern for him. “The only problem is that ODI cricket, for me, is from the 10th to the 40th over, most of the time nothing happens. Teams are going at four-an-over and the bowling side is saying, okay, we will give you four-an-over. The last ten and the first ten overs, the powerplays, are more exciting and that’s where something has to be done, I think.”
Akram, who picked 502 wickets in 356 ODIs from 1984-2003, reminded everyone of the suggestions made by legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar on making improvements in the format.
“Somebody mentioned the great Sachin as well, to play four innings (of 25 overs each), that means the whole game will go on for probably three days. I did play one game in 2001 in Cardiff of two innings, 25 overs each, it was too long. It was interesting, but it was too long, the changeover and everything.”
Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach and 1983 World Cup winning team member, agreed with Akram’s views: “We had a great World Cup in 50 overs, so it could stay, but the future would be, I reckon, 40 overs.”