ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: The final race is still between six sides. Meanwhile, the ICC has confirmed that the finale will occur at The Oval in London between June 7-11.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday substantiated that the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final will happen between the top two Test-playing nations at The Oval in London between June 7-11, while June 12 will be kept as a reserve day. The venue, situated in South London, has conducted over 100 Tests in its rich history.
In June, The Oval will greet the top two Test teams in the WTC standings, as they will be competing for the ICC WTC Mace after a couple of years of hard-fought contests. The ICC WTC Final is the ultimate event in the Test calendar and is considered a week-long celebration of the game's most extended format.
This "Ultimate Test" fulfils a couple of years of extreme competition in the ICC WTC, spanning 61 Tests over 24 series. While the two competing teams are yet to be known, a series of important matches will be played in the coming weeks to pick the finalists. Australia tops the chart in the current standings, while India is in hot pursuit of the second place, as both will be locking horns across the four-Test series, beginning in Nagpur on Thursday.
While six sides currently have a qualification chance, the frontrunners to challenge India and Australia are Sri Lanka (third) and South Africa (fourth), who would be facing defending champion New Zealand and the Windies, respectively, over a couple of two-Test series by the next month.
Speaking on securing its place in the grand finale, Australian skipper Pat Cummins told ICC, "The prospect of playing in the World Test Championship Final has been a big motivator for us over the last couple of years, more so now having missed out on over rates last time. Playing at a neutral venue like The Oval adds another element for both sides, which makes the Final. It's exciting and has been our goal for a while now. We can secure a place here in India after 12 months. The Final would be a great reward for the players and staff who have done well."
On the other hand, Indian leader Rohit Sharma is looking ahead, as it could be India's second straight WTC Final engagement. "Leading Team India out onto the field of play at the World Test Championship Final would be special. We have grown and developed as a team during this competition, and to be in with a chance of lifting the Mace at the Oval in June, we first need to overcome a tough Australian side. There have been so many dramatic moments in Test cricket lately, and there are undoubtedly more to come. I am excited by the prospect of booking our place at the Final and hopefully creating history later in the year," he expressed.
Remaining WTC games:
India vs Australia (1st Test) – Nagpur, February 9-13
India vs Australia (2nd Test) – Delhi, February 17-21
South Africa vs West Indies (1st Test) – Centurion, February28-March 4
India v Australia (3rd Test) – Dharamsala, March 1-5
South Africa vs West Indies (2nd Test) – Johannesburg, March 8-12
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (1st Test) – Christchurch, March 9-13
India vs Australia (4th Test) – Ahmedabad, March 9-13
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (2nd Test) – Wellington, March 17-21