ODIs should only be confined to World Cups, says MCC's new incoming President Mark Nicholas

ODI cricket is dying a slow death. Be it for the schedule, the emergence of the shorter format, or people's inclination towards watching a fast-paced, result-oriented form of the game, 50 overs cricket looks likely to face its worst fear. Days away from the start of the Cricket World Cup in India, Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) new incoming president, Mark Nicholas, feels the supernatural growth of the T20 format will curb ODI's sustainability in times to come.

Succeeding Stephen Fry as president of cricket's oldest and most prestigious members' club, Mark Nicholas echoes the same views as those of MCC's World Cricket Committee's members, who met in July to call for ODI cricket to cut down outside the World Cup years.

Speaking with ESPNcricinfo, Mark said considering fans' keen interest in watching T20 cricket due to its fast nature and how bilateral cricket is fading away with each passing series, ODIs should get reduced during the World Cup period only following this edition.

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"We believe strongly that ODIs should be World Cups only. We think it's difficult bilaterally now to justify them. They're not filling grounds in a lot of countries. And there is a power at the moment to T20 cricket that is almost supernatural," Nicholas told ESPNcricinfo.

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Admitting that this issue is above ticket sales and money flowing in, Mark said with people and countries keen on owning several franchise-based T20 tournaments, it's the number of players who wish to be available for those that will matter.

"It's more than just ticket sales. It's the amount of people that want to own franchises, the amount of countries that want to run tournaments, it's the amount of players that want to be in a market all around the world.

"In a free market, the most money wins. And that's just the end game. The players can see that bubbling away, and they want to be a part of it. So, it is an extraordinary power that T20 has, and I think scheduling 50-over cricket alongside it just continues the story of the death knell of the ODI game," Mark added.

Even in the lead-up to the World Cup, several first-team players from a few countries announced their decision to retire from the ODIs following the mega event, mainly to pursue their careers in franchise-based T20 leagues. Quinton de Kock from South Africa and Naveen-ul-Haq from Afghanistan are among those.

Meanwhile, Cricket World Cup 2023 will get underway on Thursday (Oct 5), with the opener to be played between New Zealand and England in Ahmedabad.

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