ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Lord's being tipped as likely venue for final

The ICC World Test Championship is currently happening. Meanwhile, the final will likely be played at Lord's next year.

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The 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is occurring in full flow, with the competition being an open road for most teams so far, having gotten off to exciting starts a year after the final of the opening edition. New Zealand is the defending champion, having defeated India in the final last year, held at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Southampton. The 2019-21 final was initially supposed to be held at the historic Lord's in London. However, COVID restrictions and lack of bio-bubble measures with no on-site hotel led it to be shifted to Southampton. Meanwhile, to compensate Lord's for 2019-21 final, it is likely to play host to the 2021-23 final.

The United Kingdom (UK) has eased its restrictions regarding sporting events. While football was the first sport to introduce curbs in limitations, cricket has followed it, with bio-bubble measures being lifted and the capacity crowd being allowed inside the venues. As a result, it will be not a challenging issue right now for the International Cricket Council (ICC), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to host the WTC final next year.

Speaking to BBC, Greg Barclay (ICC Chairman) reckoned, "I think it is scheduled for Lord's. That was always the intention. It's June, so that rules out some other venues, and we've got to get certainty around where it's hosted. We're out of Covid now, so we are subject to arrangements being made and hosted out of Lord's. I think that's the intention."

England will host an unannounced team next year before hosting the Ashes. As a result, it will make Lord's a prime contender to host the WTC final. Although the ICC still has some job to do before finalising Lord's as the host, it is likely to announce it during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.