Demystifying ODI Cricket: How Many Teams Have ODI Status in Cricket?

One Day International (ODI) cricket is a variant of limited-overs cricket comprising 50 overs per side, contested between two teams possessing international status. The International Cricket Council (ICC) oversees the determination of ODI status. The ICC’s 12 full members, concurrently holding Test status, enjoy enduring ODI status. 

These teams engage in matches recognized as the pinnacle of limited-overs competition. The count of teams holding ODI status may fluctuate as the ICC periodically assesses and confers this standing, considering diverse factors.

One Day International (ODI) cricket is a popular format of the game played between nations with official ODI status. As of 2024, there are 13 teams that have ODI status granted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The main teams with permanent ODI status are the 12 Test-playing nations – Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. These teams have permanent ODI status by virtue of being full members of the ICC.

How Many Teams Have ODI Status in Cricket?

The 13 ODI playing teams participate in marquee ICC events like the Cricket World Cup and compete regularly in bilateral ODI series. The first ODI was played between Australia and England in 1971. Since then, ODI cricket has become a prominent format played by all major cricketing countries.

Let’s take a quick look at when each of the current 13 ODI status teams made their debut:

• Australia – 1971
• England – 1971
• New Zealand – 1973
• Pakistan – 1974
• West Indies – 1975
• Sri Lanka – 1975
• India – 1974
• South Africa – 1991
• Zimbabwe – 1983
• Bangladesh – 1986
• Afghanistan – 2009
• Ireland – 2006
• Netherlands – 2021

The composition of ODI status teams has evolved over the five decades of ODI cricket. Some prominent teams like South Africa and Sri Lanka were not part of the first two decades due to apartheid and their then non-Test status, respectively.

Zimbabwe was the ninth team to gain ODI status in 1983 after showing promise at the domestic first-class level. They lost their ODI status for a brief period in the 2000s but regained it in 2011 and continue to be a competitive side today.

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The next major expansion came in the 1990s, with South Africa returning to international cricket post-apartheid in 1991. Bangladesh were granted ODI status in 1997 after improving their cricketing standards.

In the 2000s, Ireland started to emerge as a force at the associate level and made their ODI debut in 2006. Afghanistan’s rapid rise through affiliate tournaments saw them gain ODI status in 2009.

The Netherlands qualified for ODI status when they won the ICC World Cricket League Championship in 2019. They had to, however, wait till August 2020 to play their first ODI against England due to delays caused by COVID-19.

The ICC regularly reviews guidelines around ODI status and qualifications. In the past, teams have temporarily lost and regained ODI status based on their performances.

Going forward, it is likely that more non-Test-playing countries will have opportunities to gain ODI status as cricket expands globally. The ICC’s proposed ODI leagues for full members and associate nations should assist aspiring teams in fulfilling qualification criteria for gaining ODI status.

For the foreseeable future, fans of the 50-over format can look forward to ODI contests between the 12 full member nations and the Netherlands whenever international cricket resumes after the pandemic disruption.

The leading ODI teams in terms of matches won are Australia with 382 victories, followed by India with 366 wins in One Day Internationals. England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka complete the top five positions in the list of most wins by ODI-playing nations.

Among current teams, Bangladesh and Afghanistan understandably have the fewest ODI match wins, given their late starts in playing the format. But both teams have shown tremendous progress over the past decade, as evidenced by Bangladesh’s 100 ODI wins and Afghanistan’s 31.

With so many evenly matched teams in their ranks, the ICC’s commitment to further grow ODI cricket and incentivize its expansion to non-Test playing nations is a positive sign for the global development of the sport.

The great thing for fans is that One Day International cricket continues to retain its popularity and prestige. With 13 worthy teams playing the format, the future of ODI cricket promises to be exciting as league structures promote competitiveness and enable new cricketing countries to showcase their talent to the world.

Ending Lines

The count of teams with ODI status may vary over time as the ICC reviews and assigns this status considering different factors. The ODI format has played a crucial role in making the game more global, enabling additional teams to participate on the international platform. Cricket, with its diverse formats, keeps progressing, and giving ODI status to more teams reflects the game’s increasing popularity worldwide. 

With the ongoing growth of the sport, we anticipate witnessing more teams attaining ODI status, enhancing the competitive scene of international cricket even further. For more interesting knowledge about cricket and future updates stay connected with our website T20cricketworldcup.info.

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