ODI Cricket Start And History | How One-Day Cricket Began

One-Day International (ODI) cricket, one of the most popular formats in the cricketing world, did not begin through a planned approach, but rather by a whim of nature. On a rain-soaked day in 1971, a dramatic turn in the history of cricket changed the game forever.

Background and Adversity

The event took place on January 5, 1971. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, the third Test match of the Ashes series between Australia and England was underway. Despite great enthusiasm among the spectators, rain played spoilsport. Due to continuous rain for several days, not a single ball was bowled during the first three days of the Test match. As the match neared abandonment, the organizers and sponsors faced significant financial losses.

A Bold Experiment

To entertain the frustrated spectators and recover financial losses, the organizers made a bold and experimental decision. Breaking the tradition of Test cricket, they planned to organize a ‘limited overs’ match that would conclude within a single day. Since there was no specific structure for ODI cricket at that time, some rules were hastily created. It was decided that the match would consist of 40 overs, and according to the rules of that era, there would be 8 balls per over.

Unexpected Crowd and Result

Although the organizers had doubts about this first-ever ODI match in cricket history, the public response was astonishing. While a maximum of 20,000 spectators were expected, nearly 46,000 cricket fans gathered at the stadium to watch the game. In the match, England batted first and scored 190 runs, and Australia reached the target losing 5 wickets.

Long-term Impact

Australia’s 5-wicket victory was not just a win in a single match; rather, it was the successful march of a new format. Seeing the massive response from the audience, the cricket authorities realized that the future of this exciting, short-duration format was very bright. As a result, the first ODI World Cup was organized in 1975.

Evolution and Modernization

Since that experimental beginning, ODI cricket has come a long way. It has evolved from 40 overs to a 50-over game. Colored clothing has replaced white kits, white balls have taken the place of red balls, and matches under artificial lights or floodlights have been introduced. However, at the root of all this modernization lies that rainy day in Melbourne, which unintentionally breathed new life into cricket.