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Since its inception, One Day International (ODI) cricket has been a captivating journey marked by monumental moments and a continuous evolution of rules and regulations. The format, introduced in the early 1970s, revolutionized the traditional game, condensing the excitement of cricket into a single day. Over the years, ODI cricket has witnessed some of the most iconic moments in the sport’s history.
In recent times, the introduction of two new rules has further spiced up the ODI landscape. The first is where new balls are given to either ends of the pitch. The second, enabling a Super Over in case of a tie in the final has brought the thrilling T20 concept to ODI cricket, ensuring nail-biting finishes and heightened excitement for fans.
Adding an intriguing layer to these rules, former cricketers Waqar Younis and Sanath Jayasuriya recently passed on advice to the ICC regarding the two-balls rule.
Waqar Younis’ remarks
Waqar Younis expressed his view on ODI cricket, stating it is currently too favourable for batters. He suggested a change in the ball dynamics, proposing the use of two new balls to start and removing one after 30 overs. According to the veteran right-arm pacer, preserving the art of reverse swing in the later stages of the game would add a new dimension to the bowlers’ challenge.
“ODI cricket is too friendly for batters Suggestion @ICC 2 new balls to start, take away 1 ball after 30 overs, continue with the other. At the end that ball will only be 35 overs old. We’ll see some reverse at the end. Save the art of #ReverseSwing Comments please,” Waqar mentioned in his tweet.
ODI cricket is too friendly for batters Suggestion @ICC 2 new balls to start, take away 1 ball after 30 overs, continue with the other. At the end that ball will only be 35 overs old. We’ll see some reverse at the end. Save the art of #ReverseSwing Comments please. pic.twitter.com/TQs5EZJy9Y
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) November 13, 2023
Sri Lankan legend Jayasuriya supported Waqar’s remarks and added his perspective to the comments.
Also READ: Sachin Tendulkar recalls how some players pranked Virat Kohli to touch his feet during their first meeting in the dressing room – CWC 2023
Sanath Jayasuriya’s comments on Waqar’s opinion and Sachin Tendulkar
Jayasuriya concurred with Waqar’s call for changes in ODI cricket. He highlighted the potential impact of the new ball’s rule on batting performances, citing Sachin Tendulkar‘s era. The 54-year-old mentioned that under current power play rules, the Indian batting maestro’s runs and centuries would likely have doubled, emphasizing the batting advantage in the modern game.
“I agree with @waqyounis99 some changes have to be made. If @sachin_rt had the privilege to bat with two balls and under the current power play rules in our era, his runs and centuries would have doubled,” tweeted Jayasuriya.
I agree with @waqyounis99 some changes have to be made. If @sachin_rt had the privilege to bat with two balls and under the current power play rules in our era, his runs and centuries would have doubled https://t.co/oIERJiH4d7
— Sanath Jayasuriya (@Sanath07) November 14, 2023
