The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is the top international Test cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It began in 2019 to make Test cricket more exciting and meaningful. The competition runs like a league, with teams playing over two years. The current edition started in June 2023 and will end with the final in June 2025 at Lord's in London.
Inaugural Season: 2019–2021
Current Edition: 2023–2025
Next Edition: 2025–2027
Tournament Format: League and Final
Number of Teams: 9
Current Champion: Australia (2023)
Most Successful Teams: New Zealand and Australia (1 title each)
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) features the top 9 Test-playing nations. These teams compete over a two-year period to qualify for the final. Here are the participating teams:
India
Australia
England
New Zealand
South Africa
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
West Indies
Bangladesh
These teams play Test series against each other, both home and away, with the top two teams advancing to the WTC Final.
The ICC World Test Championship 2019-2021 was the inaugural edition of the tournament, designed to bring more significance to Test cricket. It ran from August 2019 to June 2021, with 9 teams competing in a series of Test matches over two years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to several disruptions, causing the ICC to rank teams based on the percentage of points earned rather than total points. India and New Zealand emerged as the top two teams and faced off in the final held at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, from June 18 to 23, 2021. In a rain-affected match, New Zealand defeated India by 8 wickets, with Kyle Jamieson playing a key role, taking 7 wickets and being named Player of the Match. New Zealand's victory made them the first-ever World Test Champions, marking a historic achievement for the team under captain Kane Williamson.
The ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 was the second edition of the tournament, designed to bring more significance to Test cricket. Over two years, nine teams competed in a series of home and away matches, with Australia and India emerging as the top two teams to qualify for the final. The final, held at The Oval in London from June 7 to 11, 2023, saw Australia dominate India, winning by 209 runs to claim their first World Test Championship title. Travis Head's crucial century in the first innings and Pat Cummins' impressive leadership with the ball led Australia to victory. For the second consecutive time, India reached the final but was unable to secure the title.
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 is the third cycle of the championship, which determines the best Test cricket team globally over a two-year period. The tournament kicked off in mid-2023, following the conclusion of the previous cycle where Australia emerged as champions by defeating India in the final at The Oval in June 2023.
Australia: The reigning champions, led by Pat Cummins, are in strong form and are among the favorites to reach the finals.
India: After finishing as runners-up twice, India will be looking to claim their first WTC title.
England: With an aggressive "Bazball" strategy under coach Brendon McCullum, England aims to challenge the top teams and return to the final.
The marquee series like The Ashes (between England and Australia), and India vs. Australia, are expected to play pivotal roles in determining the finalists.
The final of the ICC WTC 2023-2025 will be held at Lord’s Cricket Ground in June 2025.
This tournament continues to strengthen the relevance of Test cricket, adding context and stakes to each series played.
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) uses a points-based system to rank teams based on their performance in Test matches. Here's how the scoring works:
Points for each Test match:
Win: 12 points
Draw: 4 points
Tie: 6 points
Loss: 0 points
Series and Matches:
Points are awarded for each individual Test match, not for the series as a whole.
The total number of points available depends on how many matches are in a series, with a maximum of 12 points per match.
Penalty for Slow Over-rate:
Teams can lose points if they do not maintain the required over-rate during a match. For each over-short, 1 point is deducted.
Final Ranking:
Teams are ranked based on the percentage of points they have earned from the total points available to them, which helps account for different numbers of matches played by each team.
The two teams with the highest percentage of points at the end of the competition qualify for the WTC Final.
Where is the WTC final in 2025?
The WTC final in 2025 will be held at Lord's in London.
Can Pakistan qualify for the WTC final?
Yes, Pakistan can qualify for the WTC final if they finish in the top two teams based on the percentage of points earned during the league stage of the championship.
Where is the WTC final in 2027?
The venue for the WTC final in 2027 has not been officially announced yet.
Who is the current champion of the ICC World Test Championship?
The current champion of the ICC World Test Championship is Australia, who won the 2021-2023 edition by defeating India.
