Former Pakistan captain and legendary pacer Wasim Akram has suggested the cricket authorities scrap the one-day international (ODI) format of cricket from the calendar as it feels like a drag right now.
Akram, while speaking on The Telegraph’s Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast, backed Stokes’ decision to retire from ODIs and said that the format feels like a drag right now even as a commentator. He also said that T20s are easier and it is quite tiring for a player to play the 50-over matches.
Akram’s opinion came after Ben Stokes’ recent retirement from the format has brought the spotlight on the 50-over game, with many feeling that players are losing their interest in playing ODIs.
Stokes opined that England’s “unsustainable” calendar would not allow him to play all three formats of the game. Last week, he pulled out of the upcoming South Africa T20s and The Hundred in an effort to manage his schedule.
“Him 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. The leagues all around the world, there is a lot more money – I suppose this is part and parcel of the modern cricket. T20 or Test cricket. One-day cricket is kind of dying.