| In 2023 the MCC suggested limiting men’s bilateral ODIs after the 2027 World Cup, questioning the value of the format in an already stacked calendar. Its president at the time, Mark Nicholas, told ESPNcricinfo: “We believe strongly that ODIs should be World Cups only. We think it’s difficult bilaterally now to justify them. They’re not filling grounds in a lot of countries. And there is a power at the moment to T20 cricket that is almost supernatural.” He added: “In a free market, the most money wins. And that’s just the endgame.” There have been counter arguments from prominent voices. Pat Cummins, who lifted the 2023 World Cup as Australia’s captain, called the tournament the “pinnacle of cricket”. AB de Villiers, holder of the fastest 50 (16 balls), 100 (31 balls) and 150 (64 balls) in the format, said he “simply cannot agree” with the MCC’s verdict and that “if you want to go that route, ODIs should just move on”. This would feel like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but De Villiers has a point. What purpose would the 50-over game serve if it was only played for a few weeks every four years? White-ball specialist bowlers would have to more than double their workload. Batters unaccustomed to pacing their innings would no doubt find themselves floundering. The spectacle would descend to farce. Even the romantics would want to see it put out of its misery. There is another route. Context is key and there is a way to ensure that 50-over matches, including bilateral series, have value. The World Test Championship – despite its flaws and English indifference – has injected new life into the oldest format. A rethink could do the same for ODIs. The solution requires three simple steps. First, the T20 World Cup must return to a four-year cycle. Not only would this increase its appeal but also ensure that the 50-over edition could occupy the gaps between. For example, the next ODI World Cup is in 2027. That would then move the next T20 World Cup to 2029, with the following ODI World Cup taking place in 2031, and so on. The next step would be to scrap the Champions Trophy. With respect to the ongoing competition, this was never meant to be anything more than a brief knockout event that would be over in a week. It feels totally unnecessary and devoid of any deep meaning today. There’s a reason it was shelved in 2017. Only the promise of revenue has brought it back. The final and most important step would then be to align all international white-ball games with subsequent World Cups. For two years bilateral international white-ball series would be confined to just one format. Teams could develop identities, coaches could formulate clear strategies and fans could follow a coherent narrative thread culminating in a single showdown event. Franchise cricket would remain untouched but would not affect the international game. This new approach would give both white-ball formats room to breathe, providing ODIs the opportunity to add to the list of classics. Quote of the week I may take him for dinner tomorrow” – one always feels a little guilty dropping a catch. But Rohit Sharma’s blushes were as crimson as a fresh Dukes after he shelled a regulation chance at first slip that denied spinner Axar Patel a maiden ODI hat-trick in the game against Bangladesh. At the time of writing, the pair have yet to break bread over the incident. | 
England’s Jos Buttler runs out New Zealand’s Martin Guptill to end the 2019 World Cup final, a 50-over classic. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian 
