Yuvraj Singh highlights 'big concern' after IND vs SL 3rd ODI, Pathan gives epic reply

After Yuvraj Singh highlighted the low crowds for the third and final India vs Sri Lanka ODI on January 15 as a major concern for the 50-over format, former fast bowler Irfan Pathan has come up with a hilarious response. The 38-year-old told Yuvraj that if he wears his pads and goes to bat, the crowd will turn up at the stadiums.

Pathan's reply came after Yuvraj had taken to his Twitter handle and written, "...But concern for me is the half-empty stadium. Is one-day cricket dying?" The recent rise of T20Is and franchise cricket has impacted the viewership of ODIs, as some fans are more interested in watching the shortest format of the game."

Poor turnout for 3rd India vs Sri Lanka ODI raises concerns

The relevance of the 50-over format has come into question following low turnouts in the recently concluded India vs Sri Lanka ODI series. Moreover, with India set to host the ODI World Cup later this year, this becomes all the more a serious concern. As per PTI, only 20,000 spectators turned up to watch the game in a stadium that has a capacity of 38,000.

Kerala Cricket Association media manager Krishna Prasad blamed the low turnout on several factors, including the lack of interest in the ODI format. While speaking to PTI, he said, "We never had a half-empty stadium. There are several reasons. We don't see much interest in ODIs nowadays. Moreover, the series was done and dusted in Kolkata (with India taking an unassailable 2-0 lead), and with the opponents being Sri Lanka many people chose not to come to the stadium."

IND vs NZ ODI series could spark interest

While attendance for the India vs Sri Lanka ODI series was relatively low, the upcoming series between the Men in Blue and New Zealand could provide a better indication of the interest among people in the 50-over format. India and New Zealand will take on each other in a three-match ODI series, beginning Wednesday, January 18. The first ODI will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad and will begin live at 1:30 PM IST.