Grand Finale of ICC World Test Championship Likely to be Played in England

Test cricket is always the ultimate format for any professional cricketer. It requires a huge amount of mental toughness to come out good in the longest format of the game. However, the introduction of ICC Test Championship has somewhat introduced the fresh perspective before the spectators particularly in England.

With Twenty20 Internationals gaining more importance in the recent years, the amount of spectators for a Test match is going down by a considerable margin.

Hence, the world governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally come up with a plan to save Test cricket.

It was back in 1995 that the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack editor Matthew Engel had suggested for the introduction of Test Championship.

However, the proposal which was laid around 23 years ago was finally discussed at the Annual ICC’s Conference in Dublin. Well, a day after the Test championship was finalized Each of the top nine teams of the world will play six series against each other over a two-year period.

The championship will start in July 2019. The series will be either a two-match, three match, four match or a five-match affair. It will definitely help the relatively poor Full Members of the ICC like Sri Lanka, Windies and New Zealand.

The top two teams will eventually make the final of the Championship in 2021. England is the frontrunner to host the grand finale of the tournament.

England’s Tests in the 2019–21 WTC

5 Tests v Aus (2019) (H)

4 Tests v SA (2019/20) (A)

2 Tests v SL (2019/20) (A)

3 Tests v WI (2020) (H)

3 Tests v Pak (2020) (H)

5 Tests v Ind (2020/21) (A)

Possible final (2021) (H)

England’s Tests outside the 2019–21 WTC

1 Test v Ire (2019) (H)

2 Tests v NZ (2019/20) (A)

Under the current rules, if a pitch is deemed unfit, then the match will be awarded to the visiting team as told by the ICC.

In England, the 2019 Ashes will be the first competition under the ICC World Test Championship.

England will have a huge advantage if they finish as the top two teams. If the final is played in England, it would also mean that an extra seventh Test will be played in 2021 and 2023.

Meanwhile, the team with most of the points owing to a group stage will emerge as the winner if the final ends in a draw.