Cricket, traditionally anchored, has grown up in tandem with directions that modern sports have taken, and the most pristine example of this is Test cricket. ICC World Test Championship was brought in 2019 to obtain more importance and competitiveness to this monotonous format.
In this context, this article casts a light on how the championship currently works and what the impact of WTC on the international cricket is and what is the future of the ICC World Test Championship.
Introduction to ICC World Test Championship
To give value to Test series, the ICC World Test Championship was created, making every completed match important. It was the first time that league competition was introduced in Test cricket; the goal was to discover the world’s top Test team using a points system, with a play-off at the end.
The WTC’s debut cycle ran from August 2019 to June 2021 and included the top nine Test teams:
- India
- Australia
- England
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
- Bangladesh
No team played more than six series, with three series played at home and away over a two-year period, and the points earned in the matches counted toward total points.
How Does The Structure and Points System Work?
The offered structure provides a fair and balanced assessment of the WTC’s current situation. Regardless of the number of matches, all series will award 120 points, reflecting the distribution of matches. As a result, a team would receive 24 points if it won the five-match series, whereas a team that won the two-match series would receive 60 points.
A draw earns a team one-third of the points from a win, encouraging teams to put their best foot forward. This point system has played an important role in maintaining concentration and desire throughout the WTC cycle.
What is The Impact WTC on International Cricket?
These are some of the ways in which the WTC has made important improvements to Test cricket. It has reignited the energy of the format, which had previously been sidelined by the shorter and more profitable T20 and One Day International (ODI) forms.
With the WTC, each Test match becomes more important, and as a result, there is a strong fan following throughout the world. In addition, the WTC has seen fresh stars emerge into the spotlight. Captains and players such as Rishabh Pant, Kyle Jamieson, and Marnus Labuschagne stand out as key players in the competition, demonstrating the breadth of Test cricket in the present era.
The First WTC Final
The first WTC started in the year 2021 with India and New Zealand playing against each other in the Final in Southampton’s Ageas Bowl. The normal downpour limited the game and forced interruption but all in all the match was as anticipated.
New Zealand triumphed, I believe, being dismiss India by eight wickets and they became the first World Test Champions. This was a classic example of New Zealand working hard and being singularly focused throughout the championship series.
The Road Ahead: The Future Prospect Of World Test Championship
Following the successful deployment of WTC cycle 1, WTC cycle 2 began in August 2021 to sustain the achieved moment. The addition of extra teams, potential revisions to the scoring system, and the scheduling of large and exciting games will only add to the attractiveness of this championship.
The ICC’s desire to sustain the WTC as a format is part of a larger strategy to keep traditional Test cricket as the primary format while adapting existing and new trends in the realm of global games. The championship is more than just a qualifying condition for determining the best team, it is also about preserving test cricket in the modern era.
Conclusion
The newly formed ICC World Test Championship has reignited interest in test cricket, providing it with direction, competitiveness, and a chance to victory. By turning each series into a drama of a larger plot, the WTC has succeeded to interest both fans and players, resurrecting the soul of cricket’s longest format. With hopes for greater cycles in the future, WTC has the potential to redefine Test cricket with such nail-biting matches.