World Test Championship

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ICC World Test Championship
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AdministratorInternational Cricket Council
FormatTest cricket
First edition2019–2021
Latest edition2025–2027
Next edition2027–2029
Tournament formatLeague stage and final
Number of teams9
Current championTemplate:Cr
(1st title)
Most successfulTemplate:Cr
Template:Cr
Template:Cr
(1 title each)
Most runsTemplate:Cricon Joe Root (6,480)
Most wicketsTemplate:Cricon Nathan Lyon (224)

Template:Season sidebar Template:International cricket competitions sidebar

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is a biennial world championship for Test cricket organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).[1] The winners of the tournament are awarded the Test Mace, which was previously held by the leader of the Test Championship. South Africa are the current champions, having defeated Australia in the 2025 final at Lord's.

WTC league games are organized by the host nation's cricket board, whereas the final is organized directly by the ICC. The inaugural ICC World Test Championship started with the 2019 Ashes series and finished with New Zealand lifting the trophy after defeating India in the final in June 2021. The second ICC World Test Championship started on 4 August 2021 with the England–India series[2] and finished with Australia lifting the trophy after defeating India in the final in June 2023. The third ICC World Test Championship started on 16 June 2023 with the 2023 Ashes series and concluded with South Africa defeating Australia in the final. The current ICC World Test Championship began with Bangladesh touring Sri Lanka and will conclude at Lord's, London.[3][4]

History

Men's World Test Championship winners
WTC Cycle Champions
2019-21 Template:Cr 
2021-23 Template:Cr
2023-25 Template:Cr

This championship was first proposed in 1996 by Clive Lloyd, former cricketer and then manager of the West Indies team.[5] Later, in 2009, when the ICC met the MCC to discuss a proposed Test match championship. Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe was one of the main brains behind this proposal.[6]

In July 2010 ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat suggested a quadrennial tournament with the four best-ranked nations meeting in the semi-finals and a final, in a bid to boost flagging interest in the longest form of the sport. The first tournament was meant to replace the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales.[7][8]

The idea of a Test championship was considered by the ICC Chief Executives' Committee at a meeting at their headquarters in Dubai in mid-September 2010. ICC spokesperson Colin Gibson said that much more would be revealed after the meeting, and that if the championship was held in England, then the favoured final venue would be Lord's.[9] As expected, the ICC approved the plan and said that the first tournament would be held in England and Wales in 2013. The format of the tournament was also announced. It would comprise an inaugural league stage, played over a period of four years, with all ten current Test cricket nations (Australia, India, England, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh) participating. After the league stage the top four teams will take part in the play-offs, with the final determining the Test cricket champions.[10]

There was a debate as to whether the play-off would take place between the top eight teams or the top four teams, but the latter was unanimously chosen by the board. It was also announced that the tournament would replace the ICC Champions Trophy.[10] No decision had been made concerning how to decide the outcome of drawn matches in the knock-out stages.

However, in 2011, the ICC announced that the Test Championship would not take place until 2017, and that the 2013 tournament would be cancelled because of financial problems within the board, and its commitment to its sponsors and broadcasters. England and Wales, the original hosts of this cancelled tournament, were awarded the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy instead, the tournament that the Test Championship was intended to replace.[11] This drew widespread criticism; both Greg Chappell and Graeme Smith criticised the ICC, saying that postponing the Test Championship was wrong and unjustified.[12][13] The Guardian reported that this postponement was a blow to Lord's, which had been expected to host the final.[14]

At the ICC Chief Executives' meeting in April 2012, it was confirmed that the ICC Champions Trophy would be last held in 2013 with the inaugural Test Championship play-offs being scheduled for June 2017.[15] The ICC said that there would be only one trophy for each format of the game, which meant that the Champions Trophy would no longer take place since the Cricket World Cup is the premier event for 50-over cricket.

The final would possibly have followed the historical timeless test format.[16] Further improvements in the structure of the championship have also been discussed.

However, in January 2014, the 2017 ICC World Test Championship was cancelled and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy was reinstated.[17]

In October 2017, the ICC announced that a Test league had been agreed upon by its members, which would involve the top nine teams playing series over two years with the top two teams qualifying for a World Test League Championship Final, which will be considered as an ICC event.[18]

Tournament summary

9-Team Tournaments

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The first tournament began with the 2019 Ashes series. In March 2020, matches were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not resuming before July 2020, with several rounds of matches being postponed or ultimately cancelled. New Zealand became the first team to qualify for the final, when it was confirmed that the series between South Africa and Australia would not proceed,[19] followed by India. The inaugural World Test Championship Final was played between India and New Zealand from 18 to 23 June 2021 at Rose Bowl, Southampton, England.[20] Despite the opening and fourth day of the final being washed out by rain,[21] New Zealand managed to win in the final session of the reserve day and lifted the first World Test Championship trophy.[22]

The WTC 2021–23 cycle began in August 2021 with Pataudi Trophy (5 matches series between India and England).[23] The International Cricket Council officially announced the full programme with a new points system.[24] Australia qualified for the final by winning the 3rd Test Match of the 2022–23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.[25] India qualified after Sri Lanka failed to win the first match of their series in New Zealand,[26] qualifying for the final for the second consecutive time. The final was played from 7 June to 11 June 2023 at The Oval, London, England, with Australia emerging as champions after defeating India by 209 runs.[27] This was India's second consecutive defeat at the WTC final.[28]

The WTC 2023–25 cycle began with the 1st Ashes Test on 16 June 2023.[23] The International Cricket Council officially announced that the WTC final will be played at Lord's in the summer of 2025.[29] In the final, South Africa defeated Australia by 5 wickets to win their maiden championship. This was also their second ICC trophy after the 1998 KnockOut Trophy.[30] Aiden Makram was awarded Player of the Match.[31]

12-Team Championship

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The 2027–2029 tournament is expected to include all 12 Test-playing nations, featuring Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland.[32] With plans for a two-tier system with promotion and relegation scrapped, the ICC is expected to include four-day tests for smaller nations.[33] This will allow weaker teams to play a similar amount of tests as stronger teams.[34]

Results

Cycle Number of teams Final
Venue Winners Result Runners-up Player of the final Winning captain Umpires
2019–2021 9 Rose Bowl, Southampton Template:Cr
249 & 140/2 		New Zealand won by 8 wickets
Scorecard 		Template:Cr
217 & 170 		Template:Cricon Kyle Jamieson Template:Cricon Kane Williamson Template:Cricon Michael Gough and Template:Cricon Richard Illingworth
2021–2023 The Oval, London Template:Cr
469 & 270/8d 		Australia won by 209 runs
Scorecard 		Template:Cr
296 & 234 		Template:Cricon Travis Head Template:Cricon Pat Cummins Template:Cricon Chris Gaffaney and Template:Cricon Richard Illingworth
2023–2025 Lord's, London Template:Cr
138 & 282/5 		South Africa won by 5 wickets
Scorecard 		Template:Cr
212 & 207 		Template:Cricon Aiden Markram Template:Cricon Temba Bavuma Template:Cricon Chris Gaffaney and Template:Cricon Richard Illingworth
2025–2027
2027–2029 12

Team performances

Overview

As of 12 May 2026
Team Statistics Best performance
Matches Won Lost Draw Tied % Win % Loss % Draw
Template:Cr 62 40 13 9 0 64.51 20.96 14.51 Champions (2021–2023)
Template:Cr 45 25 18 2 0 55.55 40.00 4.45 Champions (2023–2025)
Template:Cr 42 21 17 4 0 50.00 40.47 9.53 Champions (2019–2021)
Template:Cr 65 35 23 7 0 53.84 35.38 10.78 Runners-up (2019–2021, 2021–2023)
Template:Cr 75 35 31 9 0 46.66 41.33 12.00 4th place (2019–2021, 2021–2023)
Template:Cr 39 13 20 6 0 33.33 51.28 15.39 5th place (2021–2023)
Template:Cr 42 14 21 7 0 33.33 50.00 16.66 6th place (2019–2021)
Template:Cr 34 6 25 3 0 17.64 73.52 8.82 7th place (2023–2025)
Template:Cr 47 10 30 7 0 21.27 63.82 14.91 8th place (2019–2021, 2021–2023, 2023–2025)
  • Source: CricInfo[35]
Key
1st Winner
2nd Runners-up

An overview of all the Test playing nations' performances:

Tournament

Team
 2019–2021 2021–2023 2023–2025 2025–2027
Template:Cr 3rd 1st 2nd
Template:Cr 9th 9th 7th
Template:Cr 4th 4th 5th
Template:Cr 2nd 2nd 3rd
Template:Cr 1st 6th 4th
Template:Cr 6th 7th 9th
Template:Cr 5th 3rd 1st
Template:Cr 7th 5th 6th
Template:Cr 8th 8th 8th

Tournament records

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As of 8 January 2026
Batting
Most runs Template:Cricon Joe Root 6,480[36]
Most hundreds 23[37]
Most runs in a single tournament 1,968 (2023–2025)[38]
Most hundreds in a single tournament 8 (2021–23)
Highest score Template:Cricon David Warner v Template:Cr 335* (2019–21)[39]
Bowling
Most wickets Template:Cricon Nathan Lyon 224[40]
Most wickets in a single tournament 88 (2021–23)[41]
Best bowling in an innings Template:Cricon Ajaz Patel v Template:Cr 10/119 (2021–23)[42]
Best bowling in a match 14/225 (2021–23)[43]
Fielding
Most dismissals by a wicket-keeper Template:Cricon Alex Carey 205[44]
Most dismissals in a single tournament 98 (2023–25)[45]
Most catches by a fielder Template:Cricon Steve Smith 119[46]
Most catches in a single tournament 43 (2023–25)[47]
Team
Highest score Template:Cr v Template:Cr 823/7d (2023–25)[48]
Lowest score Template:Cr v Template:Cr 27 (2025–27)[49]

Trophy

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The Test Mace was designed and made by British silversmiths, Thomas Lyte.[50] The mace is made of silver and 24-carat gold plate and the base is hardwood. The long handle was designed to represent a stump and the top of the trophy is designed like a cricket ball.[51]

See also

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Test Championship to replace Champions Trophy". Cricinfo. 29 June 2013.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."England vs India to kick off the second World Test Championship". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Lord's to host next two WTC finals". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2027 World Test Championship final in England too". Times of India. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Official World Test championship gains momentum". The Indian Express. Reuters. 20 November 1996. Archived from the original on 24 April 1997. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ ICC calls meeting with MCC to discuss proposed World Test Championship, The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 January 2012
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC news: Lorgat hints at Test championship in 2013 | Cricket News | Cricinfo ICC Site". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC news: ICC could use 'timeless' Test for World Championship final | Cricket News | Cricinfo ICC Site". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
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  10. ^ a b ICC approves Test championship, ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 4 January 2012
  11. ^ World Test Championship to be Postponed; Financial Considerations to Blame Script error: No such module "webarchive"., Crickblog. Retrieved 4 January 2012
  12. ^ Test Championship postponement a 'shame' – Greg Chappell ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 4 January 2012
  13. ^ Ken Borland, ICC too slow on test championship says Smith, Stuff.co.nz, 17 November 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012
  14. ^ Lord's suffers Test Championship blow as ICC scraps mandatory DRS rule, The Guardian, 11 October 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012
  15. ^ No Champions Trophy after 2013, Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 April 2012
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC could revive 'timeless' Test match for world championship". The Guardian. Press Association. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cricket". 1News.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Brettig, Daniel (13 October 2017). "Test, ODI leagues approved by ICC Board". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Scenarios: Who will face New Zealand in the WTC final?". ICC. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021. After the postponement of the South Africa-Australia Test series, New Zealand were confirmed as one of the finalists of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship, leaving one spot up for grabs for all of India, England and Australia.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC announces World Cup schedule; 14 teams in 2027 And 2031". Six Sports. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WTC final: India, New Zealand, and weather exercise thrift". Six Sports. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Not luck, not fluke - New Zealand deserve to be the World Test Champions". ESPNcricinfo. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  23. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC to introduce new points system for World Test Championship". SportsTiger. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Travis Head leads charge to seal emphatic chase for Australia". ESPNcricinfo. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sarkar, Pritha (12 June 2023). "India were chasing lost cause in WTC final after day two collapse". Reuters.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Oval and Lord's to host 2023 and 2025 WTC finals". ESPNCricinfo. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
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  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."History made at Lord's as South Africa triumph in WTC25 Final". Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Two-tier WTC model scuppered; ODI Super League revival on the cards". ESPNcricinfo. 11 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC ready for 4-day Tests in 2027-29 WTC cycle; India, Australia, England to still play 5-day matches: Report". The Hindu. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
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  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ICC World Test Championship Trophy team results summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Most Runs World Test Championship". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Most runs in a tournament". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  39. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."High Scores World Test Championship". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
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  44. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Most Dismissals for a wicket-keeper World Test Championship". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
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  48. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Highest Team Totals". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  49. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Lowest Team Totals". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
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