One Day International Match (ODI) - All You Need To Know

A one day international match, or ODI, as it is more commonly known, is one of the shorter cricket formats.

 

In the context of modern age cricket formats, i.e. T10 leagues, T20s, The Hundred, et cetera, a case can be made to classify ODI cricket as one of the longer formats of the game.

After all, each ODI game is five times as long as a T10 game, two and a half times as long as a T20 match, and three times as long a The Hundred match. 

Games with such a big time disparity surely can't be classified under the same bracket, right? And any sport that lasts an entire day has no right to be called "short," right?

 

However, the history of ODI cricket is what cemented it's 'short format' tag.

Let me explain...

History of ODI cricket

Up until the late 20th century, international cricket matches were long format matches (Test matches). The game, like many sports, had one recognized/dominant format.

The first ODI match was birthed from a Test match as a result of poor weather.

On the 5th of January in 1971, after the first three days of a test match between England and Australia had been washed out, the officials thought to themselves, (paraphrased), "It would be unfortunate to abandon this potential banger of a match. The crowd have been waiting patiently and the tickets have already been sold out. 

After all, it's the first match of the new year. Surely, we can't begin the year with an abandoned match.

What if we have the entire match played within a day? We give each team a limited number of overs and by the end of the day we have a winner."

 

Fun fact; the 1971 ODI was played 40 overs per innings, with each over having 8 balls.

 

Although played in traditional all-white kits and using a red ball (since it was still in theory a test match), that was the dawn of ODI cricket.

 

ODI format has since been evolving, adopting different kits to test cricket, using different colored balls, standardizing the number of overs per match, tweaking a few rules, and adding a technological edge for better in-match officiating.

 

So, ODI cricket was fast gaining popularity because it was significantly shorter, hence more action-packed than the traditional test match.

Above all, it was a broadcaster's dream because it was more than four times shorter than the 'conventional' game, yet twice, if not more, the adrenaline dosage for viewers. 

It was more than three decades later, (17 February 2005), that the even shorter T20I match was first played.

Meaning that for more than three decades ODI matches were undisputedly the shortest format of international cricket. 

Because of the longevity of ODI matches, the newer cricket formats have just fallen in line, coming in and enlisting into the class led by the pioneer of short format cricket, the ODI.

Game Format

ODI matches are limited-over games. Each team will get an opportunity to bat for 50 overs and then another 50 in the field.

 

The team batting first sets a score while the team batting second will chase the score for a win. Failure to beat the set score means defeat, obviously.

The decision to either bat first or second is decided by coin toss.

 

Wondering what criteria captains use to choose whether to bat or ball first? Learn more here.

Teams

Like every other format of the game, each team is composed of 11 players.

However, unlike in test matches where a bowler bowls unlimited number of overs, in ODI cricket each bowler is capped to a maximum of 10 overs.

Kits and Accessories

ODI kits, like all short format kits, are colourful. However, teams tends to wear different kit designs for different formats i.e T20Is and ODIs.

 

Ball Colour - White.

Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) Method

Cricket matches are often victims of delays and postponement because of rain.

Unlike football, rugby, and other outfield sports, cricket cannot be played in drenching weather.

This is because the pitch/wicket on which the game is played will lose it's hardness once it is soaked in the rain.

Secondly, the ball becomes very slippery once wet and it makes it difficult for the bowlers and fielders. 

For the batsmen, ball visibility is much more limited.

Therefore, to counteract the loss in playing time  due to bad weather, the DLS method is used. 

It is a tool used to project and set scores, had it not been for the bad weather delay.

The DLS method is used to set revised score targets for a given quota of overs in relation to the projected score of the first batting innings.

Ironically, it was some sort of DRS idea that resulted in the birth of ODI cricket; and it is the same line of thinking that has led to the growth to popularity of even shorter cricket formats.