Henrik Klaasen Advocates for Removal of ODI Cricket from International Scene

Former South African cricket star Henrik Klaasen has made a significant statement regarding One Day International (ODI) cricket. At the age of 33, Klaasen announced his retirement from international cricket and expressed his desire to see ODI cricket removed from the international format. He also shared that he had distanced himself from the sport before making a mark in limited-overs cricket. Additionally, he recounted his experience facing Jasprit Bumrah's formidable bowling during last year's T20 World Cup.

 

In an interview with a sports media outlet, Klaasen was asked about potential changes he would like to see in the cricket calendar. He responded, stating, "I believe the only change I would make is to possibly remove ODI cricket from international play. I would advocate for more Test matches for teams that play fewer of them. We should play more T20 cricket, as that is what the audience wants to see. You can maintain your ODI World Cup, and perhaps a month before it starts, arrange five matches for each team to help them adapt to that format."

During the same interview, Klaasen reiterated his stance on the cricket calendar, emphasizing the need to prioritize Test matches for less active teams and increase T20 matches, which are in high demand. He suggested that the ODI World Cup could continue, but with a preparatory phase to help teams acclimatize to the format.