ICC World Test Championship: Format, Points and Finals

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) was introduced in 2019 to provide a context and competition structure for bilateral Test cricket. Before the WTC, bilateral Test series between two nations had no connection to a broader tournament; the WTC accumulated points from each series into a standings table, with the top two teams advancing to a final every two years. The format has given Test series higher stakes and created a regular Test event to rival limited-overs World Cups.

Points System

WTC points are awarded per match: a win earns a fixed number of points; a draw earns a smaller share; a loss earns none. Because series vary in length — some are two Tests, others are five — points are normalised as a percentage of points available across the cycle (PCT, Percentage of Championship Points). This prevents countries with fewer scheduled series from being disadvantaged against those with more matches to play.

WTC Finals

The first WTC final was played in 2021 at The Ageas Bowl, Southampton — New Zealand defeated India by eight wickets. The second final, in 2023 at The Oval, also featured Australia and India — Australia won by 209 runs. The format of the final is a single Test match played at a neutral venue, with five days of play and a reserve day for weather interruptions.

Criticism and Context

The WTC format has received criticism for the way different series lengths and scheduling inequalities affect the standings. Teams with more Tests scheduled in a cycle have more opportunities to accumulate points; teams in the lower half of the ICC full members play fewer series. Critics have also noted that a single-match final can produce a result that does not reflect the two-year cycle — a heavy favourite can lose a single match. Proponents argue that the final format is Test cricket's version of the Super Bowl — a high-stakes single match.