Archive · 12 Nov 2025
ICC Considers Revival of ODI Super League to Boost 50-Over Format
Cricket's 50-over games, called One Day Internationals (ODIs), are sometimes seen as too long and not as exciting as the quicker T20 games.
To help keep the 50-over format popular, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is thinking about bringing back a competition called the ODI Super League.
This league was played once before and helped teams qualify for the 50-over World Cup.
The idea is that if there's a big league with important games, teams will take the 50-over format more seriously.
However, the schedules for international cricket are very busy, so this league probably won't start again until 2028 at the earliest.
Officials discussed this at a recent meeting, and they will likely talk about it more.
The ICC is considering reviving the ODI Super League to address concerns about the relevance of the 50-over format.
The ODI Super League was previously used as a qualifier for the 2023 ODI World Cup and involved 13 teams.
Each team played eight of their twelve opponents in four home and four away series, with each series consisting of three ODIs.
Due to packed international calendars, the league is unlikely to be revived before 2028.
The revival aims to encourage teams to take the ODI format more seriously and ensure its place alongside shorter formats like T20.
- Who
- International Cricket Council (ICC)
- What
- Considering the revival of the ODI Super League to address the waning relevance of the 50-over format.
- When
- Discussions occurred at a recent ICC meeting; revival unlikely before 2028.
- Where
- At an ICC meeting (specific location not mentioned).
- Why
- To maintain the relevance of the ODI format in the face of T20 cricket's popularity and questions about the 50-over game's length.
Arguments for ODI Super League Revival
Challenges to ODI Super League Revival
Format Relevance
Arguments for ODI Super League Revival
The ODI Super League is seen as a way to keep the 50-over format relevant amidst the popularity of T20 cricket and questions about ODIs' length.
Challenges to ODI Super League Revival
The league's revival faces challenges due to already packed international calendars, making it unlikely to return before 2028.
Competition and Player Participation
Arguments for ODI Super League Revival
The league, with ODI World Cup qualification as a reward, is expected to encourage teams to take the format more seriously and field their best players.
Challenges to ODI Super League Revival
The previous ODI Super League featured 13 teams, with each playing eight of twelve opponents in four home and four away series of three ODIs each. The current packed schedule may make such a structure difficult to replicate.
- Format Under Consideration
- ODI Super League
- Purpose of Revival
- To keep the 50-over format relevant
- Previous League Format
- 13 teams, 8 opponents, 4 home/4 away series, 3 ODIs per series
- Previous League Qualification
- Top 7 qualified for ODI World Cup 2023, bottom 5 went to qualifiers
- Potential Return Year
- Not before 2028
Sources
3 New Teams To Enter WTC From 2027; Plan Which Would Have Separated India, Pakistan Scrapped: Report
ICC's two-tier WTC model gets a thumbs down
Two-tier system in next WTC cycle unlikely after idea fails to get support in ICC meet
