The ICC is eyeing the return of the ODI Super League, which was originally launched in 2020 but discontinued after the 2023 World Cup. The league originally began in July 2020 with 13 teams (12 full members and the Netherlands).
The Super League was created to bring more significance to one-day internationals by giving teams something more to play for than just bilateral series.
However, it ran into issues: a crowded international calendar, scheduling problems, and push-back from some smaller full-member and associate nations.
ODI Super League Is Possibly To Be Revived After 2028
A working group headed by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose has recommended to the ICC Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee that the ODI Super League could return. At the same time, plans for a two-tier model in the World Test Championship (WTC) have been dropped due to insufficient support. The exact design of the tournament is still under discussion.
“The Super League could help revitalise the 50-over format. Maybe the problem is not that the format is necessarily dead; it is finding the proper structure,” an administrator said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Reviving the league is seen as a way to ensure more meaningful ODI cricket and help keep this format relevant in an era dominated by T20s and franchise leagues. It’s expected that the revived league wouldn’t begin until at least 2028. The exact format, number of teams, and match arrangements remain under discussion. The working group also proposed a 12-team WTC rather than two tiers, which would guarantee all full-members continue playing Test cricket.
In short, the ICC is actively looking at reshaping how ODI and Test cricket fit into the international calendar. The proposed return of the ODI Super League is part of an effort to keep the 50-over game vibrant and meaningful in a cricket world increasingly dominated by T20 leagues and shorter formats.
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