The World Test Champions venue (WTC venue) for the ongoing cycle (WTC final venue 2023) as well as the next cycle (WTC final venue 2025) has been confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The second cycle of the WTC is currently in progress and the final is scheduled to take place next year. The inaugural final took place last year when India and New Zealand locked horns in Southampton.
In the first-ever final of the WTC, New Zealand had defeated India inside four days to become the first-ever WTC champions. The match was originally scheduled to be held at the iconic Lord’s. However, the venue had to be changed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Nine Full Members (all other than Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan) are part of the WTC which runs over a two-year cycle. Each participating country plays six series – three home and three away during one WTC cycle.
At the end of the cycle, the top two teams make it to the final. As far as the ongoing cycle is concerned, several teams are still in the race for a place in the 2023 final.
WTC final 2023 venue announced:
The second cycle of the WTC began last year and the final will take place next year. And ahead of the much-anticipated final, the ICC has announced the WTC final 2023 venue as well as the venue for the next WTC cycle.
The decision was approved at the ICC’s AGM, which concluded on Tuesday in Birmingham. The Lord’s Cricket Ground has been confirmed as the host for the WTC finals in 2023 and 2025.
Earlier this year, ICC chair Greg Barclay had indicated that Lord’s was the preferred option mainly because the WTC final is scheduled in June – both in 2023 and 2025.
“It’s June so that rules out a number of other venues and we’ve got to get certainty around where it’s hosted,” Barclay had said during a chat with BBC’s Test Match Special.
“We’re out of Covid now so subject to arrangements being made and being able to be hosted out of Lord’s I think that’s the intention,” he had added.
In another big decision taken at the AGM, former India batsman VVS Laxman and former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori have been added to the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. The committee is headed by former India skipper and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.