The number of Twenty20 cricket matches has grown significantly in the past five years. Leagues are being prioritised more than international cricket. Players are not renewing their central contracts and taking retirement just to get the NOC (No Objection Certificate) to play the leagues. Cricket Boards have been more focused on the same format, and it seems that the PCB’s Priorities in Cricket are also similar.
The Pakistan Cricket Board recently scrapped the scheduled three ODIs against Bangladesh just to have a five-match T20I series. It originally consisted of three ODIs and three T20Is. As a matter of fact, PCB has been prioritising T20 cricket for the past few years and have played more T20Is than ODIs and Tests combined.
More teams are favouring the shorter format of the game. In fact, Tests and T20s are more taken into account more in ODIs of late. This is one of the central topics that needs to be discussed regarding where cricket is now heading and what the future holds for this sport.
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It’s not just PCB’s Priorities in Cricket, but some boards as well
It is not just from PCB, but it seems to be the case with a few other boards. For example, the South African Cricket Board cancelled their ODI series against Australia to fit their SAT20 League in 2023. That series was part of the 2020–2023 Cricket World Cup Super League.
The competition had thirteen teams: the twelve Full Members and the Netherlands. It was played for the direct qualification of the 2023 World Cup. South Africa was in 10th place by the time they forfeited their series to Australia, but qualified as the last team.
The World Cup Super League was shortly scrapped and was not played for the 2023-2027 ODI cycle. The teams for the 2027 World Cup will be decided based on rankings.
Speaking of ODI, there have been numerous calls for that particular format to be scrapped. With plenty of interest in T20I cricket and Test cricket being the traditional format, ODIs are more called to be taken down. Wasim Akram even called for the scrapping of this beautiful format, calling it “run-of-the-mill” stuff.
Even the MCC suggested reducing a significant amount of ODI cricket after the 2027 World Cup, believing that removing the format “would increase the quality” and “create much-needed space in the global cricketing calendar.”
However, in the most recent meeting, the ICC is considering scrapping the two new-ball rule in one-day cricket to restore some balance between bat and ball in the format. Though the feedback from the rest of the members will be given in a few weeks.
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T20 Cricket is PCB’s Priorities in Cricket
It has been a fact lately. The amount of T20 cricket being played in Pakistan shows what the PCB have been prioritising. In the past five years, since the start of 2020, Pakistan have played 109 T20I cricket, the second most by any team in the world. They are 12 behind India. Pakistan have played 38 Tests and 60 ODIs, which is a combined 98 matches between the two formats, still 11 less than the number of T20Is they have played.
The table will break down the number of formats played in the last five years (Excluding non-full member teams):
| Number of matches played in the past 5 years (Jan 1, 2020) | |||||
| Teams | T20Is | ODIs | Test | Combined ODI and Test | Overall played |
| Afghanistan | 63 | 52 | 7 | 64 | 127 |
| Australia | 81 | 71 | 44 | 115 | 196 |
| Bangladesh | 90 | 73 | 35 | 108 | 198 |
| England | 90 | 68 | 64 | 132 | 222 |
| Ireland | 82 | 54 | 7 | 61 | 143 |
| India | 121 | 85 | 49 | 134 | 255 |
| New Zealand | 104 | 73 | 39 | 112 | 216 |
| Pakistan | 109 | 60 | 38 | 98 | 207 |
| South Africa | 81 | 67 | 36 | 103 | 184 |
| Sri Lanka | 80 | 83 | 38 | 121 | 201 |
| West Indies | 97 | 66 | 39 | 105 | 202 |
| Zimbabwe | 90 | 55 | 16 | 71 | 161 |
In the five-year chart, England have easily played the most number of matches. India, Pakistan and New Zealand are the only teams to cross 100 mark in T20Is. But looking at the differences of T20is vs ODIs/Tests, Ireland and Pakistan have a gap of 21 and 11, respectively.
Pakistan falls 9th in the most number of ODIs played since the start of 2020, with Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan falling behind.
We also break down the record from the past two years, where cricket has drastically changed, IPL having a two-month window, and leagues are being more prioritised.
| Number of matches played in the past 2 years (Nov 20, 2023) | |||||
| Teams | T20Is | ODIs | Test | Combined ODI and Test | Overall played |
| Afghanistan | 23 | 17 | 4 | 21 | 44 |
| Australia | 26 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 56 |
| Bangladesh | 27 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 55 |
| England | 27 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 61 |
| Ireland | 20 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
| India | 38 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 69 |
| New Zealand | 30 | 20 | 14 | 34 | 64 |
| Pakistan | 32 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 61 |
| South Africa | 25 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 54 |
| Sri Lanka | 23 | 23 | 12 | 35 | 58 |
| West Indies | 32 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 58 |
| Zimbabwe | 36 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 57 |
In the two-year period, India has the most number of matches played. They led the T20Is and jointly led the Test record (as of 1st May, 2025).
In terms of T20Is vs ODIs/tests, Zimbabwe has a difference of 15, India and West Indies 9, Ireland 6 and Pakistan 3. Other teams have played more Tests and ODIs combined than T20Is.
Regardless, there has been an alarming number of T20Is being played than Tests and ODIs. In the next chart, this will break down both the 5-year and 2-year time period of the formats played by teams overall (full members only).
| Time Period | T20Is | ODIs | Test | Combined ODI and Test | Overall played |
| Since Jan 01, 2020 (5 years) | 1088 | 807 | 412 | 1224 | 2312 |
| Since Nov 20, 2023 (2 years) | 339 | 196 | 136 | 332 | 671 |
| Total | 1427 | 1003 | 548 | 1556 | 2983 |
Nearly 48 per cent of the matches that have been played are Twenty20 Internationals in the past five years. The prioritise of T20 cricket is highly alarming. And PCB is following the same steps. This is one of the reasons why Pakistan cricketers are showing more flaws in their techniques in batting and bowling. Short format helps batters to score freely with minimal footwork, and bowlers struggle to keep a constant line and lengths.
And more T20 cricket means fewer chances for top players to play longer formats in domestic cricket. Correction, it is not a chance but a choice. And it is evident where the players are focusing more.
This is where the board needs to step in and take countermeasures. But when the board itself is not prioritising the two formats the players aren’t interested in, we may see the end of Pakistan cricket, similar to how West Indies cricket had fallen.
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