'It's just too long' - Wasim Akram feels ODI format needs transformation

Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram recently came forward to give his opinion on ODI cricket. Being a part of the commentary team in the ongoing Test between Australia and Pakistan, Akram talked of the current state of the Men in Green in the 50-over format.

After the ODI World Cup 2023, Babar Azam was replaced as the all-format skipper. It was announced that Shan Masood will be the Test skipper, with Shaheen Afridi leading the T20I side. Pakistan’s next ODI clash is not scheduled until November 2024, and the skipper of the format is yet to be announced.

“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,” Wasim Akram said on commentary. 

“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,” he added.

I’ll probably go 40 overs: Akram

Furthermore, Akram came forward to state that he will look to shorten ODI cricket and make it 40 overs from 50. He stated that the attention span is gone and has further decreased since the introduction of T20 cricket. 

“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,” Akram said. 

“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,” he added