The ICC ODI Super League started in 2020 to make one-day international cricket more competitive and fair. It included 13 teams — all 12 full ICC members, including India, Australia, England, Pakistan, and the Netherlands, the only associate nation.
The main purpose of the league was to decide which teams would qualify directly for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
ODI Super League Set for a Comeback to Revive 50-Over Cricket. There will be a chance of more 5- or 7-ODI series against top teams. CWC ODI Super League, which decided direct World Cup qualification from 2020–23, is expected to return for the 2031 edition.
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ODI Super League Points System
Each team played a few bilateral ODI series between 2020 and 2023. Every match had points that decided the standings on the table.
- Win – 10 points
- Tie or No Result – 5 points
- Loss – 0 points
Teams were ranked based on total points. If two teams had the same number of points, the net run rate (NRR) was used as the tiebreaker.
World Cup Qualification
The top 8 teams in the ODI Super League points table qualified directly for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.
The bottom 5 teams, ranked 9 to 13, had to play in the ICC World Cup Qualifier tournament for a chance to secure one of the remaining two spots.
In total, 8 teams qualified automatically, 2 came through the qualifiers, and 3 missed out.
Why It Was Created
Before the ODI Super League, the ICC ODI rankings decided who would qualify for the World Cup. People often said that system was unfair and too reliant on old results.Before the ODI Super League, qualification for the World Cup was decided by the ICC ODI rankings. That system was often criticised for being unbalanced and too dependent on old results.
The ODI Super League was created to make qualifying more fair and based on how well teams have done recently. It gave teams prizes for doing well in the present instead of using their past rankings.
What Happened
The league was a good idea and made ODI cricket more important, but it wasn’t used again for the 2027 World Cup.Although the league was a good idea and helped bring more importance to ODI cricket, it was not continued for the 2027 World Cup cycle.
One reason is that it was hard to fit all the series into the international calendar. Smaller teams also didn’t get to play against stronger countries enough. Later, the ICC decided to go back to a simpler qualification system that works better with its plans for future tournaments.
A Look at the ICC ODI Super League
| Feature | Qualified directly for the 2023 World Cup |
|---|---|
| Started | 2020 |
| Ended | 2023 |
| Teams | 13 (12 Full Members + Netherlands) |
| Points System | Win – 10, Tie/No Result – 5, Loss – 0 |
| Top 8 | To make the qualification fair based on recent form |
| Bottom 5 | Played World Cup Qualifier |
| Purpose | To make qualification fair based on recent form |
| Next Cycle | Not renewed for 2027, but will be back for 2031 World Cup |
