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Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has blamed indirectly blamed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for making "terrible rules" which he believes are leading to the "death" of ODI cricket. From fielding restrictions to the use of two balls, Moeen feels that the format is unfair for bowlers.
"The format has almost completely died out, apart from World Cups and Champions Trophy. It is the worst format to play and I think there are many reasons for that," Moeen told Talksport Cricket.
He blamed the rules for the rise in the batters' averages. He thinkgs the rules prevent bowlers from keeping the batters under pressure.
"I think the rules are terrible. To have that extra fielder after (the first powerplay), I think it's a horrendous rule for taking wickets, building any sort of pressure. Guys are averaging 60, 70 in ODI cricket now because of that," the left-handed batter said.
"When you're bowling at somebody and you put a little bit of pressure, he just reverse-sweeps and it's not even a single, it's a four. It's just there's always that option available for the batters (to score)."
He also rues the lack of reverse swing due to use of two new balls. However, it is not be noted that England won their first-ever ODI World Cup only after there was amendments in rules in the format.
"On top of all this, you have two new balls, you lose the reverse swing, you lose the art of trying to hit a softer ball.
"Everything's always in the middle and crisp and it's flying off your bat and stuff. I think for those reasons, the cricket's just died. 50-over cricket has died," Moeen further added.
Moeen forecasts 'premature' retirements
While Moeen criticised the lack of appeal in ODI cricket, he sees plenty of retirements from international cricket because of the money they are offered in T20 franchise leagues around the world.
"I think franchise cricket is sadly eating it all up and the problem is the money that's out there and the money that's being thrown out there. It's so much that people just can't turn it down. It's very difficult.
"There are probably guys who are probably going to retire in the next couple of years from international cricket to play franchise cricket," Moeen opined.
Moeen's ODI career
The 37-year-old has played 138 ODIs and scored 2,355 runs at an average of 24.27, including three centuries and six half-centuries. He made his ODI debut in 2014, three years after the two new ball rule was introduced. With the ball, he claimed 111 wickets averaging 47.84.
