ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Venue For ICC WTC Final
The ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 has entered its business phase. A total of nine teams are competing in the second cycle of the WTC. The cycle began in August last year, just a few days after New Zealand beat India in the final of the inaugural WTC.
The ongoing cycle will be played over two years, with 69 matches over 27 series scheduled for the league stage. The top two teams will then advance to the final. Each team is scheduled to play six series, with three at home and three away.
Each series will consist of two to five Test matches. Each team will play between 12 and 22 matches. As far as the point system is concerned, a win is worth 12 points, a tie is worth 6 points each, a draw is worth 4 points each while a loss is worth 0 points.
So as the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle heads towards its final phase, we are taking a look at the Venue for the ICC WTC final and all the other details.
ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Points table
As on 28th July 2022, South Africa is leading the points table with a point percentage of 71.43. They are followed by Australia (70%) at the second spot. South Africa and Australia are the only teams who have a point percentage of more than 60 at this stage.
Pakistan, India and West Indies complete the top five. They are followed by Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand and Bangladesh.
Here is the ICC WTC 2021-23 points table:
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | NR | Points | PCT |
| 1 | South Africa | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 71.43 |
| 2 | Australia | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 84 | 70 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 58.33 |
| 4 | India | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 75 | 52.08 |
| 5 | West Indies | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 50 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 48.15 |
| 7 | England | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 64 | 33.33 |
| 8 | New Zealand | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 25.93 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 10 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 13.33 |
ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Venue For ICC WTC Final
The venue for the ICC WTC final has been finalised by the ICC. Following their Annual General Meeting in July 2022, the ICC finalised Lord’s as the venue for the ICC WTC final in 2023 as well as 2025.
Lord’s was granted the hosting rights of the final of the inaugural edition of the WTC too but the venue had to be shifted to The Ageas Bowl stadium in Southampton due to Covid-19. Southampton was seen as the ideal venue logistically to keep players in a bio-secure bubble because of its on-site hotel.
ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Date and schedule.
As of now, the date for the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 is not announced yet but the match is likely to be held in June.
(The date and schedule will be updated as soon as it is announced by the ICC).
ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: FAQs
Where will WTC 2023 final be played?
The WTC 2023 final will be played in England. Iconic Lord’s will host the final in 2023.
When was WTC’s final venue decided?
The venue for ICC WTC final 2023 was decided after ICC’s Annual General Meeting in July 2022.
Can India reach WTC final 2023?
India is one of the contenders to reach the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle. The Rohit Sharma-led side, however, cannot afford further slipups and need to win their remaining games to keep their hopes alive.
Why is England hosting the WTC final?
While there is no set rule as of now to choose the venue for the ICC final, the weather conditions play a vital role in this regard. In June, the likes of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh witness widespread rain. West Indies also witness rain during this time of the year.
On the other hand, the likes of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand hardly play cricket at home during this time of the year. This leaves England as an ideal destination.
Earlier this year, Chairperson Greg Barclay had spoken on the reason behind choosing Lord’s as the venue, saying: “It’s June so that rules out a number of other venues and we’ve got to get certainty around where it’s hosted.”