Cricholic
Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali recently shared his though Pakistan’s Pacers Are Good but Not the Best stating that while Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah are highly skilled, they do not rank among the world’s elite.
Speaking on a podcast with Adil Rashid, Moeen addressed the common belief among some Pakistan’s Pacers Are Good but Not the Best fans that their pace attack is unmatched. He clarified, “There’s this perception, especially among people of Pakistani backgrounds, that Pakistan has the best seamers. But that’s not the case. They are good, but not the best in the business right now.”
ODI format has “completely died,” says Moeen Ali
Moeen also voiced strong criticism of One Day Internationals (ODIs), calling it the least enjoyable format in modern cricket. In an interview with Talksport Cricket, as reported by Wisden, he said ODIs have lost their relevance outside of major ICC events like the World Cup and Champions Trophy.
“The format has almost completely died out, apart from World Cups and the Champions Trophy. It is the worst format to play, and there are many reasons for that,” Moeen remarked.
Rule changes are hurting ODI cricket
Moeen pointed out that changes in fielding restrictions have significantly impacted bowlers. The rule introduced in 2012 allows only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle after the initial powerplay, making it difficult to create pressure.
“I think the rules are terrible. That extra fielder inside the circle after the powerplay makes it hard to take wickets or build pressure. Batters now average 60-70 in ODIs because of this. If you try to apply pressure, they just reverse-sweep for a boundary. There’s always an easy scoring option available,” he added.
With England struggling in ODIs, particularly during their disappointing 2023 World Cup campaign, Moeen’s comments highlight growing concerns about the balance between bat and ball in the format.
