World Test Championship Finals — Results, Winners & Venue History
The World Test Championship (WTC) Final crowns the best Test nation every two years. Learn about the 2021 Final (New Zealand beat India), the 2023 Final (Australia beat India), and how the WTC cycle works.
The World Test Championship (WTC) Final is the pinnacle event of the ICC's two-year Test cycle, crowning the best Test-playing nation in the world. Introduced by the ICC for the 2019–21 cycle, the WTC Final is contested at Lord's or another premier Test venue, typically in June, between the two nations who finish with the highest percentage of available points across their two-year schedule. The WTC introduced a points-based system that gave every Test match global context and made series results count toward a world championship.
2021 WTC Final — New Zealand beat India
The inaugural WTC Final was played at the Rose Bowl, Southampton in June 2021 between India and New Zealand. The match was disrupted by rain and required a reserve day. New Zealand won by 8 wickets — Kyle Jamieson was Player of the Match with 5/31 in India's first innings. For New Zealand, a nation that had never won a senior ICC men's event, it was their first global cricket title. Captain Kane Williamson praised the ICC's new format for giving Test cricket a world champion at the end of each cycle.
2023 WTC Final — Australia beat India at The Oval
The 2023 WTC Final was played at The Oval, London in June 2023 between Australia and India — a rematch of the 2021 final's format, with India returning as finalists. Australia won by 209 runs, completing a dominant performance anchored by Steve Smith (121 in Australia's first innings) and Travis Head (163 in Australia's second innings). Head's innings effectively sealed the match and won him the Player of the Match award. India's top order, including Shubman Gill (18 and 45), could not replicate the form that had carried them to the final. It was Australia's first WTC title.
How the WTC qualification works
Qualification for the WTC Final is based on a percentage of available points won across a two-year cycle. Each series has a set number of points distributed across the matches — a team receives full points for a win, half for a draw, and zero for a loss. The percentage system ensures that nations who play fewer matches aren't advantaged or disadvantaged purely by the number of series they contest. The top two teams on the percentage table at the end of each two-year cycle qualify for the Final.
Frequently asked questions
Who has won the World Test Championship Final?
New Zealand won the first WTC Final in 2021, beating India by 8 wickets at Southampton. Australia won the second WTC Final in 2023, beating India by 209 runs at The Oval, London. South Africa won the third WTC Final in 2025, beating Australia by 5 wickets at Lord's (Aiden Markram century). India appeared in the first two finals but are yet to win a WTC title.
Where is the WTC Final played?
The first WTC Final was played at the Rose Bowl, Southampton (2021). The second was played at The Oval, London (2023). The ICC has indicated Lord's as a potential regular home for the WTC Final, though the venue is subject to scheduling and ICC agreement with the ECB.
How does qualification for the WTC Final work?
Teams qualify for the WTC Final by accumulating the highest percentage of available points across the two-year WTC cycle. Points are awarded per match (win = full points, draw = half, loss = none), and each team's total is expressed as a percentage of what was available to them. The top two nations at the end of the cycle play the final.