ICC World Test Championship - FAQs

The ICC Test Championship is finally here. The first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston will mark as the inaugural game of the event. It has been 22 years since Ali Bacher, the then United Cricket Board of South Africa supremo, Clive Lloyd and Arif Ali Abbasi, former Pakistan Cricket Board CEO, had proposed the idea of a 'Test World Cup'. There were a couple more attempts made to hold such an event, but it fell through due to various reasons.

However, after a few trials and tribulations, the two-year affair is about to start, and we have listed out some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

What is the ICC Test Championship?

The World Test Championship (WTC) comprises the top nine Test playing nations facing each other in a two-year period. Each country will play six Test series - three at home and three away. There are 27 series altogether during this cycle and a total of 71 Tests to be played. At the end, the top two teams in the points table will face-off in a final to determine the World Test Champion.

Why do we need the WTC?

It gives context to a bilateral series, with each Test carrying points for a win or a draw. The concept also attracts fans from nations not partaking in the particular series since the result can have an impact on their team's standing.

With so many T20 leagues around the globe, such an event was necessary to keep Test cricket alive and to draw the crowds to the stadiums.

Who all are part of the WTC?

The top nine teams in the ICC Test rankings as on March 31, 2018 have qualified to play the event. India, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh will be competing for the WTC. The Tests involving Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will not be considered under the WTC.

How many matches will be played in a series?

The teams will play at least two matches in a series. So, there won't be one-off Tests scheduled between the top nine nations. A series can be extended to a maximum of five Tests. The provision to keep a maximum of five Tests has been made keeping in mind a high-profile series like the Ashes or an India-England series.

How are the points awarded?

Each Test series will carry 120 points, and it doesn't matter if it is a two-match series or a five-match rubber. For example, a two-match series will mean 60 points for a Test, while it comes down to 24 points for a five-match series. A tie will see the teams sharing the points while a draw will be in 3:1 ratio.

Matches in series Points for a win Points for a tie Points for a draw Points for a defeat
2 60 30 20 0
3 40 20 13 0
4 30 15 10 0
5 24 12 8 0
What about the schedule for the event?

The WTC will be played in various countries. Each team will play six series - three at home and three away. Most of the series will fall under ICC's Future Tour Program (FTP).

2-Test series 3-Test series 4-Test series 5-Test series
SL v NZ (2019) WI v IND (2019) IND v SA (2019) SA v ENG (2019-20) ENG v AUS (2019)
PAK v SL (2019) IND v BAN (2019) AUS v NZ (2019-20) AUS v IND (2020-21) IND v ENG (2021)
AUS v PAK (2019) PAK v BAN (2020) ENG v WI (2020)
NZ v IND (2020) SL v ENG (2020) SL v BAN (2020)
BAN v AUS (2020) WI v SA (2020) ENG v PAK (2020)
BAN v NZ (2020) NZ v WI (2020) BAN v WI (2021)
NZ v PAK (2020) SA v SL (2021) SA v AUS (2021)
PAK v SA (2021) WI v SL (2021)
Will there be future WTCs or is it a one-off?

The plan is to have two-year cycles. The first one will start on August 1, 2019 and end on March 31, 2021 with the final slated to be played in June 2021. The next Championship is scheduled to start from June 2021 and will end in April 2023.

Will the WTC have any affect on the ICC Test rankings?

The rankings will continue in the same way after each series. The WTCs points system will be independent of the Test rankings.