Former England cricketer lambast ODI cricket, says it is 'the worst format to play'

Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has criticised the current state of One Day International (ODI) cricket, calling it the 'worst format to play' due to rule changes that have made it overly favorable for batters. Speaking to Talksport Cricket, as quoted by Wisden, Moeen argued that ODIs have 'completely died' outside of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the Champions Trophy.

England's recent struggles in ODIs add weight to his comments. They endured a disastrous ICC Cricket World Cup title defense in 2023, winning just three out of nine matches. While they managed to qualify for the Champions Trophy, their campaign ended without a single victory in three games.

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Moeen pinpointed specific rule changes as major issues, particularly the 2012 rule that mandates only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle after the first powerplay. He described this as 'horrendous' for bowlers, as it makes it difficult to build pressure and take wickets.

"I think the rules are terrible. The extra fielder inside the circle after the powerplay is a horrendous rule for taking wickets or building pressure. Players now average 60 or 70 in ODIs because of it. If you put a bit of pressure on, the batter can just reverse-sweep for a boundary. There's always an option available for them to score," Moeen explained.

'Cricket has died'

He also criticised the use of two new balls from both ends, a rule introduced in the early 2010s, stating that it has removed reverse swing and made batting easier.

"You lose the reverse swing, you lose the art of trying to hit a softer ball. Everything stays hard, and the ball flies off the bat. Because of this, 50-over cricket has died," he added.

Beyond the rule changes, Moeen pointed to the growing dominance of franchise cricket as another reason for ODI cricket’s decline."The problem is the huge money being thrown into franchise cricket. Players simply can't turn it down. Some will likely retire early from international cricket to focus on franchises," he remarked.

Moeen, a key member of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning squad, played 138 ODIs, scoring 2,355 runs with three centuries and six fifties while also taking 111 wickets. This season, he will feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

(With inputs from agencies)