Pakistan great Wasim Akram wants ODIs scrapped

Akram’s comments came close on the heels of England all-rounder Ben Stokes’s sudden retirement from ODIs, which has triggered a serious debate over the existence of 50-over cricket

Pakistan pace bowling legend Wasim Akram feels ODI cricket has become “run-of-the-mill” stuff now and wants the administrators of the game to scrap the format for good.

Akram’s comments came close on the heels of England all-rounder Ben Stokes’ sudden retirement from ODIs, which has triggered a serious debate over the existence of 50-over cricket.

“I think so [ODIs should be 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,” he said in Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast.

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“They are doing it just for the sake of doing it. After the first 10 overs, it’s just ‘OK, just go a run a ball, get a boundary, four fielders in and you get to 200, 220 in 40 overs’ and then have a go last 10 overs. Another 100. It’s kind of run-of-the-mill.”

Akram said the 50-over game has no future in front of the ever-growing T20 format. “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.”

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