The ICC’s World Test Championship is a biannual event where the best teams in the game fight it out for the coveted mace. The top two teams in the ICC test-ranking table after the completion of a two-year cycle are given the chance to compete for glory at Lord’s, with first-time finalists South Africa taking on Australia in the final on Wednesday.
The competition is decided by a points system, with 12 points for a win and six points for a draw — and zero for losing. The resulting points-percentage table favours larger, wealthier nations, as they often play series with four or five Test matches, whereas less affluent countries usually compete in fewer such games.
ECB chief executive Giles Clarke said England was awarded the next three finals because of its “successful track record in hosting these events” and its “understanding and passion for this treasured format of the game”. “This is testament to the fact that fans from across the globe travel to the UK to watch these incredible games,” he added.
This year, the Proteas made a sensational comeback in the competition, winning their first title in 27 years and overcoming a series whitewash by Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy final. The defending champions are not the favourites for the final, though, with South Africa having a point to prove after a difficult start to the 2023-25 WTC cycle. Nevertheless, the Temba Bavuma-led team has been in impressive form and will look to extend their winning streak of eight straight tests to a world-record nine.
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