BIRMINGHAM: The inaugural ICC World Test Championship has been kicked off with the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston, started from 1st August.
With the launch of the mega-event, ICC set the stage for a long tournament in red-ball cricket to determine the World Test Champion.
The two-year-long tournament comprises top nine Test teams – Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – who will compete in 71 matches in 27 series.
Each team will play three home and three away series. The top two teams at the end will compete in the ICC World Test Championship Final in the UK in June 2021.
India will not play against Pakistan because each team has picked six opponents by mutual agreement, within the existing framework of the Members rights agreements. Also, the teams can play matches outside the World Test Championship during this period.
The Host Board is responsible for all organizational matters including venues, broadcast, ticketing, etc. The ICC is responsible for overseeing the competition by way of providing match officials and ensuring matches are played as per the World Test Championship playing conditions and competition terms. The ICC is also responsible for delivery of the finals.
In the Test Championship, a series can have a minimum of two matches and a maximum of five matches. Every match will be a five-day affair. Teams can play day-night Tests by mutual agreement.
The World Test Championship points table will be independent of the ICC Test rankings. The Test rankings will continue to have 12 teams on the table. Broadcast rights belong to the host cricket board that will organise the series. The ICC, though, will have the broadcast rights for the final.
