Let's be honest about the state of the game right now. If you listen to the loudest voices on social media or the hot-take machines on sports networks, they’ll tell you that one day international cricket is a dying breed, a relic of a slower era sandwiched uncomfortably between the prestige of Five-Day Tests and the dopamine hit of T20 franchise leagues. They say it's too long for the modern attention span and too short to be "real" cricket.
They’re wrong.
Actually, they're missing the point entirely. While the 50-over format is certainly undergoing a mid-life crisis, it remains the only version of the sport that truly tests a player's ability to shift gears, manage a crisis, and demonstrate tactical patience over an eight-hour narrative arc. It’s the "Goldilocks" zone of cricket.
The tactical evolution of 100 overs
Remember the 1990s? Back then, a score of 250 was a match-winner. You’d have openers like Mike Atherton or Saeed Anwar (depending on the team's philosophy) playing out the first fifteen overs with caution, seeing off the new ball before the "pinch hitters" like Sanath Jayasuriya or Romesh Kaluwitharana turned the script upside down in 1996.
Today, one day international cricket looks more like a 50-over T20 match. It’s relentless.
The introduction of two new balls—one from each end—basically killed the art of reverse swing in the middle overs. That changed everything. Since the ball stays harder and whiter for longer, batsmen feel emboldened to play through the line. You see teams like England, under the leadership of Eoin Morgan and now Jos Buttler, treating a 350-run target like a casual Sunday afternoon chase.
But here’s where the nuance kicks in. In a T20, if you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you’re usually cooked. In an ODI, you still have 40 overs to bat. You have to rebuild. You have to find the "nurdlers"—the players like Virat Kohli or Joe Root who can rotate strike, run hard twos, and keep the scoreboard ticking without taking massive risks. That’s the "middle-overs squeeze." It is a psychological battle that T20 simply doesn't have time for.
The curious case of the 2023 World Cup
If you watched the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, you saw the format’s resilience. Despite fears of empty stadiums for non-India games, the tournament delivered some of the most gut-wrenching drama in recent memory.
👉 See also: Calendario de la H: Todo lo que debes saber sobre cuando juega honduras 2025 y el camino al Mundial
Take Glenn Maxwell’s 201* against Afghanistan.
That wasn't just a great innings; it was a physical impossibility. Australia was 91 for 7. In a T20, that game is over in ten minutes. Because it was an ODI, Maxwell had the time—and the requirement—to stay there. He battled cramps that literally froze his legs, standing on one limb and smoking sixes. It was a five-act play. You cannot replicate that tension in a 20-over window. The 50-over format allows for a player to be "out of the game" and then find a way back in.
Is the schedule actually the problem?
Basically, the biggest threat to one day international cricket isn't the format itself; it's the calendar.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee has been vocal about this. In their recent meetings, they’ve flagged that the sheer volume of cricket is making ODIs feel like "filler" between T20 leagues. When a bilateral series happens just three days after a major tournament ends, nobody cares.
Wasim Akram, one of the greatest left-arm pacers to ever breathe, famously suggested that ODIs should be scrapped or significantly shortened because they feel "dragged out."
On the flip side, you have purists who argue that the ODI World Cup is still the undisputed "pinnacle" of the sport. Winning a T20 World Cup is great, but holding that gold trophy every four years? That’s immortality. Pat Cummins lifting the trophy in Ahmedabad in front of 100,000 silent fans proved that the stakes in this format are still higher than anywhere else.
The death of the part-timer
One thing I've noticed—and you've probably noticed it too—is the disappearance of the "bits and pieces" player. In the early 2000s, guys like Chris Hooper or Nathan Astle would give you ten overs of medium-pace "rubbish" that somehow took wickets.
✨ Don't miss: Caitlin Clark GPA Iowa: The Truth About Her Tippie College Grades
The modern game has no room for that.
Because of the power-hitting revolution, captains now need five genuine wicket-takers. If you bowl 120kph military medium in the middle overs now, you’re going into the stands. This has made the role of the wrist-spinner—the Kuldeep Yadavs and Adam Zampas of the world—absolutely vital. They are the only ones who can break a partnership when the pitch is flat and the sun is beating down.
Why you should still care
It’s about the rhythm.
T20 is a sprint. Test cricket is a marathon. The one day international cricket match is a middle-distance race.
It requires a different kind of fitness and a different kind of mental toughness. You have to field for three and a half hours in the heat, then potentially bat for another three. It’s grueling.
Also, look at the stats. The gap between the top teams and the "associates" is shrinking faster in ODIs than in Tests. We saw the Netherlands beat South Africa. We saw Afghanistan dismantle England. These aren't flukes. The longer format allows the better-prepared team to wear down the "giants."
Practical ways to enjoy the modern ODI
If you find the middle overs (overs 15 to 40) boring, you're looking at it wrong. Don't look at the boundaries. Look at the field placements.
🔗 Read more: Barry Sanders Shoes Nike: What Most People Get Wrong
- Watch the sweeper cover: See how the captain moves him two yards left or right based on the bowler's line.
- Track the "dot ball" pressure: See how a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah builds a maiden, and then see how the batsman panics in the next over against a lesser bowler.
- The "Powerplay 3" chaos: The last ten overs are pure carnage. If a team has wickets in hand, they aim for 100+ runs in the final ten. It’s a high-stakes gamble.
The road ahead for the 50-over game
The ICC is currently sticking with the Champions Trophy and the World Cup cycle, which is smart. They know where the money is.
But we might see changes. There’s talk of moving back to a single ball to bring reverse swing back. There’s talk of 40-over games to tighten the broadcast window.
Whatever happens, the core essence remains. One day international cricket is the ultimate storyteller. It’s where legends like Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli defined their greatness by mastering the art of the chase.
It isn't going anywhere. It’s just evolving.
Actionable insights for the cricket fan
If you want to truly appreciate the 50-over game in 2026, stop treating it like a long T20. Instead, do this:
- Analyze the "Phase 2" Strike Rotation: Follow a player like Shai Hope or Daryl Mitchell. Notice how they rarely play a "dot" ball between overs 20 and 30. That is the secret to a 300+ score.
- Follow Bilateral Series for Tactical Context: Don't just watch the World Cup. Watch how teams like South Africa or New Zealand experiment with their bowling combinations in 3-match series. This is where the World Cup is actually won—in the quiet labs of bilateral cricket.
- Check the Pitch Maps: Use apps like ESPNcricinfo or Cricbuzz to look at where wickets are falling. In ODIs, the "good length" is a moving target that changes as the ball gets softer.
- Respect the All-Rounder: Keep an eye on players like Ravindra Jadeja or Rashid Khan. Their ability to contribute 10 overs and a quick 30 runs is the most valuable currency in this format.
The next time someone tells you the ODI is dead, point them toward the 2023 final or Maxwell's miracle at Wankhede. Some stories just need more than 20 overs to be told properly.