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ICC Adds to its Repertoire the World Test Championship

The World Test Championship is a league-oriented test match competition that is hosted and operated by the ICC. It began its official functioning on 1st August 2019. The World Test Championship answers their question of hosting one premier tournament for each of the three formats of the game. The number of teams participating in the test championship is nine in number, and these nine teams are the highest-ranked teams in the ICC test rankings. The first test that fell under the purview of the test championship was the 2019 Ashes tournament.

World Test Championship History

Cancelled 2013 Tournament

  • The idea of a test championship was touted from time to time, and it was only in 2013 that Martin Crowe proposed for a World Test Championship when the ICC met the MCC.
  • The origin of the Test World Cup started way back in 2010 when Haroon Logart wanted to do something along the same lines so that people who were moving away from this format started investing themselves again into the Test World Cup.
  • Again in 2010, the executives of the organization met at Dubai, where ICC spokesperson Colin Gibson wanted the Test Championship to be held in England with the final at Lords.
  • The format of the World Test Championship was also laid bare, which reported that the tournament would span over four years with a league stage where all nine teams would play for the Test Championship final.
  • After the league, the top four teams would play in the playoffs for the test championship, which would end at a Test World Cup final.
  • However, it was decided in 2011 that the test championship was to be cancelled in 2013, owing to the financial problems of the board in that year, and the hosts were given the responsibility of conducting the 2013 Champions Trophy.

 Cancelled 2017 Tournament

  • At the 2012 meeting, it was decided that after the champions trophy in 2013, the playoffs for the first-ever Test World cup would be played in 2017.
  • Since the ICC had mandated that there would only be one trophy for each format, the Champions Trophy was made obsolete because of the existing cricket world cup.
  • The Test World Cup final would be played in the limitless test format entailing that no team could play for a draw.
  • However, the World Test Championship final was cancelled once again in January 2014, and the champions trophy was brought back in 2017 once again, with the Test World Cup final to be scheduled in 2019

2019-2021 Tournament

The inaugural World Test Championship final finally took place in 2019, with the 2019 Ashes series on the line. New Zealand became the very first team to qualify for the World Test Championship final, with India right behind them.

The top nine test teams in the Test World Cup final would play each other for a test championship final before the top two teams would meet each other at the WTC final venue for the world test championship final.

World Test Championship Teams

The teams vying for a spot at the World Test Championship final are as follows:

These highest-ranked nine teams in the test rankings will directly compete in the Test Championship, but teams like Ireland, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan won't be a direct part of the world test championship schedule. They will play an ICC Future tours program with each other and the members of the Test Championship. The results of these matches will have no effect on who qualifies for the WTC final.

WTC Schedule

Teams of the World Test Championship Total Matches of World Test Championship Schedule Home Matches of the Test Championship Away Matches of the Test Championship
Australia 19 9 10
Bangladesh 12 6 6
England 21 11 10
India 17 9 8
New Zealand 13 6 7
Pakistan 13 6 7
South Africa 16 9 7
Sri Lanka 12 6 6
West Indies 13 6 7

Strength of Opponents

The Test Championship schedule was made in such a manner that all 9 teams won't play each other. Instead of being a round robin system, the world test championship ensured that each team played six of the eight teams on the World Test Championship schedule.

Team Performances in WTC

Position Teams of WTC Played in WTC cricket Won in the Test World Club Loss in the World Test Championship Schedule Draw Tied in the World Test Championship Schedule Points in the WTC Final Schedule PCT in the WTC Final Schedule
1 India 17 12 4 1 0 520 72.2%
2 New Zealand 11 7 4 0 0 420 70.0%
3 Australia 14 8 4 2 0 332 69.2%
4 England 21 11 7 3 0 442 61.4%
5 Pakistan 12 4 5 3 0 286 43.3%
6 West Indies 11 3 6 2 0 200 33.3%
7 South Africa 11 3 8 0 0 144 30.0%
8 Sri Lanka 12 2 6 4 0 200 27.8%
9 Bangladesh 7 0 6 1 0 20 0.56%

The world test championship has been an extensive competition spread out over the best part of two years. It has ceremoniously accrued some flattering statistics that have proven to be instrumental in the WTC final schedule. With so many modern day greats plying their trade at the same time for a spot in the test championship final date, it has turned out to be a momentous tournament.  

World Test Championship Most Runs

Batsman of the WTC Matches Innings NO Most Runs Average HS 100s 50s
M. Labuschagne 13 23 0 1675 72.82 215 5 9
Joe Root 20 37 2 1660 47.43 228 3 8
Steve Smith 13 22 1 1341 63.85 211 4 7
Ben Stokes 17 32 3 1334 46.00 176 4 6
Ajinkya Rahane 17 28 3 1095 43.80 115 3 6

World test championship most runs were score by these batsmen, who, with their talismanic batting performances, have ushered their teams towards their rise in the world championship cricket.

Most Wickets in the World Test Championship

Bowler Matches Innings Wickets Runs Overs BBI BBM Average 5WI 10WM
P.Cummins 14 28 70 1472 555.3 5/28 7/69 21.02 1 0
S. Broad 16 31 69 1386 499.3 6/31 10/67 20.08 2 1
R. Ashwin 13 24 67 1399 524.4 7/145 9/207 20.88 4 0
N. Lyon 14 27 56 1757 630.5 6/49 10/118 31.37 4 1
T. Southee 10 20 51 1054 390.3 5/32 9/110 20.66 3 0

Where batsmen failed, bowlers did their job with the ball in their hand for their respective teams, which guided the viewers to see some inspired bowling in the Cricket Test Championship.

Highest Individual Scores in WTC

Some batsmen were able to overcome odds and even bordered on mocking their opposition with some nonchalance yet hardworking innings and paved the way for their teams to one step closer to the WTC final venue.

Batsmen Most Runs in an Innings Balls 4s 6s Opposition Ground WTC Dates
D. Warner 335 418 39 1 Pakistan Adelaide 29.11.19
Zak Crawley 267 393 34 1 Pakistan Southampton 21.9.20
Virat Kohli 254 336 33 2 South Africa Pune 10.10.19
Kane Williamson 251 412 34 2 West Indies Hamilton 3.12.20
D. Karunaratne 244 437 26 0 Bangladesh Pallekele 21.4.21

Here are the Best Bowling Figures in an Innings of the Test Championship Final

Bowler Wickets Runs Overs Maidens Economy Oppositions Ground WTC Date
L. Embuldeniya 7 137 42 6 3.26 England Galle 25.1.21
R. Ashwin 7 145 46.2 11 3.12 South Africa Vizag 2.10.19
J. Bumrah 6 27 12.1 3 2.21 West Indies Sabina Park 30.8.2019
S. Broad 6 31 14.0 4 2.21 West Indies Old Trafford 24.7.20
Axar Patel 6 38 21.4 6 1.8 England Ahmedabad 24.2.21

These bowlers, lured by the prospect of playing at the WTC final venue, made sure that with their bowling figures, they flabbergasted batsmen in their team's quest to be at the top of the world test championship schedule.

Best Bowling figures in a Match for Test Championship

Bowlers Wickets Runs Overs Maidens Oppositions WTC Venue WTC Date
A. Patel 11 70 36.4 9 England Ahmedabad 25.02.2021
K. Jamieson 11 117 41 14 Pakistan Christchurch 3.01. 2021
P. Jayawickrama 11 178 64 17 Bangladesh Kandy 29.04.2021
S. Broad 10 67 22.1 5 West Indies Old Trafford 24.7.2020
Hasan Ali 10 114 31.4 4 South Africa Rawalpindi 4.02.2021

Often all that was required of the bowlers to veer their direction towards the World Test Championship final date was one single match, and these bowlers showed incredible discipline when it came to maintaining their line and lengths. Such dedication helped their teams cause for a spot in the Test Championship final date and propelled them towards the top of the world test championship schedule.

Best Batting Averages for World Test Championship

Batsmens Matches Innings Runs Average Highest 50s 100s
Labuschagne 13 23 1675 72.82 215 5 9
D. de Silva 8 12 610 67.77 166 3 2
Babar Azam 10 17 932 66.57 143 4 5
Rohit Sharma 11 17 1030 64.38 212 4 2
Steve Smith 13 22 1341 63.85 211 4 6

These batsmen mentioned below proved to a rudder for their teams in their batting order. They played responsibly when asked but didn't relinquish their style to lead their teams to ginormous scores, which was a step forward for their pursuit of the top spot of the WTC final schedule.

Best Bowling Averages for World Test Championship

Bowler Matches Wickets Runs Balls Average BBI BBM
K. Jamieson 6 36 478 1202 13.27 6/48 11/117
Ishant Sharma 11 36 625 1314 17.36 5/22 9/78
J. Anderson 12 39 761 1991 19.51 6/40 7/63
M. Shami 10 36 712 1437 19.77 5/35 7/58
S. Broad 17 69 1386 2997 20.08 6/31 10/67

The bowlers steamed in hour after hour at the Test World Cup to vanguard their teams towards the crescendo of the Test Championship.

Team Statistics with Highest Team Totals

Team Score Overs Run Rate Innings Oppositions Venue WTC Date
New Zealand 659/6d 158.5 4.14 2 Pakistan Christchurch 3.1.2021
Sri Lanka 648/8d 179 3.62 2 Bangladesh Pallekele 21.4.2021
South Africa 621 142.1 4.36 2 Sri Lanka Centurion 26.12.2020
India 601/5d 156.3 3.84 1 South Africa Pune 10.10.2019
Australia 589/3d 127.0 4.63 1 Pakistan Adelaide 29.11.2019

WTC FAQs

  • Who will win WTC 2021?

According to the final standings of the World Test Championship schedule, both India and New Zealand are strong contenders to win the Cricket Test Championship. However, with India at the top, the odds are against New Zealand to topple them.

  • Who will play WTC final?

Since India and New Zealand are the table toppers, they will play in the WTC final venue of Rose Bowl at Southampton for the trophy of the World Test Championship final. The Test Championship final date is 18th June 2021.

  • Which venue will host the world test championship?

India and New Zealand are supposed to play the game of the WTC final schedule at the Rose Bowl, which has been decided as the WTC final venue. The game is scheduled to take place in the month of June 2021.

  • Can India make it to the test championship final?

India is already on the top of the world test championship, and so they will obviously make it to the WTC final, where they will compete with New Zealand.

  • Who is No 1 test team?

According to the ICC and test world cup rankings, India is the highest-ranked test team in the test championship schedule, followed by New Zealand. 

  • How does NZ qualify for the world test championship?

New Zealand falls under the purview of the top nine test playing nations under the ICC criteria; hence they were able to qualify for WTC cricket.

  • How WTC points are calculated?

The teams playing the WTC final schedule play each other in a series of matches. In a 5 match series, the winning team gets 24 points, and in a two-match series, one win gets 60 points.

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