With an intense rise of franchise cricket and T20 leagues all across the world, former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram feels ODI cricket is just being dragged and no more interests anyone. We have seen a rapid rise of T20 cricket over the last some years, which is also amassing a hefty amount of money for the players, and Wasim has just rightly said in regard.
He says T20Is are easier and do not require a long duration of the day to get it windup. Also, a player can generate enough money playing modern-day league cricket, which is now the future of cricket. ODIs, on the other hand, are time-consuming, and everyone is too reluctant, including the players, making it tiring for them to play throughout the day.
Akram has also backed England's all-rounder Ben Stokes' decision to retire from ODI cricket. He says although it was saddening but Ben has done the right thing. Naming various countries, the former bowler said these do not even fill the stadiums during the One-Day Internationals.
Opining that ODI cricket should be eliminated, he narrated,
“I think so (on ODI cricket being scrapped). In England, you have full houses. In India, Pakistan especially, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, one-day cricket you are not going to fill the stadiums,”
“Him [Ben Stokes] deciding that he is retiring from one-day cricket is quite sad but I agree with him. Even as a commentator, one-day cricket is just a drag now, especially after T20. I can imagine as a player. 50 overs, 50 overs, then you have to pre-game, post-game, the lunch game,” said Akram.
“T20 is kind of easier; four hours, the game is over. In the leagues all around the world, there is a lot more money — I suppose this is part and parcel of modern cricket. T20 or Test cricket. One-day cricket is kind of dying. It is quite tiring for a player to play one-day cricket,” he added.
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