The International Cricket Council (ICC) has begun considering changes to the rule of using two different balls from separate ends in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), to maintain balance between batters and bowlers.
During a recent ICC meeting held in Harare last week, a proposal was presented suggesting that only one ball be used from the 35th over onwards in an innings. This proposal was submitted by the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee, chaired by former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, to the board heads.
According to the proposal, each innings would still begin with two balls, but after the 34th over, the fielding side would be allowed to choose one of the two balls to continue with for the remaining overs. The unselected ball would be kept as a reserve.
The Cricket Committee initially considered the option of changing the ball after 25 overs, but the idea did not gain support from the committee members themselves. Cricket boards are expected to submit their feedback on the matter by the end of this month. If consensus is reached, the proposed rule will be finalized in the ICC’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for July.
