England hosts the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third time in a row. New Zealand won the inaugural championship in 2021, defeating India by eight wickets at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. Two years later, Australia defeated India by 209 runs at the Kennington Oval in London, winning the second edition.
The newest edition will see reigning champions Australia taking against South Africa at London’s iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Recently, allegations arose that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering hosting the summit battle.
Australian captain Pat Cummins proposed allowing the WTC champions to host the finals in the following edition.
However, he also stated that if logistical difficulties arise, the final should always be held at Lord’s, the cricketing world’s most famous venue.
“Logistically, having only one venue appears to be the simplest option. It would be good if the prior winner hosted it the next time, or something like that. But, as an alternative, I believe holding it at Lord’s every cycle is also a good option,” Cummins told India Today Cricket.
The ODI World Cup of 2023 will be difficult to top; that’s number one for me: Pat Cummins
Cummins stated that winning two WTC titles will be a significant testament to Australia’s achievements as a red-ball team over the last four years. However, he stated that the ODI World Cup, which Australia won in 2023, remains his most notable success, with the WTC win coming in second.
“The previous four years or so have been extremely successful for this squad, and it’s been a fantastic period in our lives for both players and staff. Having two maces is a pretty big thing to display for that length of time – we feel like we’ve been the best team in the world in all various conditions, and to hold the mace at the end of that would be a terrific sign of something to point to now but also in the future,” Cummins added.
“The ODI World Cup in 2023 will be difficult to beat; that’s number one for me. But I believe the (World Test Championship) mace is slightly below that since you’re competing against every other team in the world and have been successful in making the final for a few of years, so the mace is important,” the skipper said.
India
