The World Test Championship is designed to add significance to a two-year cycle of bilateral test series. It is a competition that will see each of the nine tests-playing nations compete against one another with points awarded for wins, ties, and losses. A team will play six series, with three of those taking place at home. A win earns 12 points, a tie earns both teams six, and a loss results in zero. A slow over rate will also result in a deduction of points.
The first edition of the WTC took place between 2021 and 2023, with Australia beating India in the final to claim their first title. The second edition will start this summer with England hosting the showpiece at Lord’s for a third time, after the Rose Bowl in Southampton and the Oval hosted the previous finals. The ICC announced that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had been awarded rights to host the next three tournament finals in 2027, 2029 and 2031.
South Africa’s path to the final was criticized by some, with former England captain Michael Vaughan claiming that they got there “on the back of beating pretty much nobody”. The Proteas were able to rely on a healthy run of form and their superiority against the other top three teams to accrue enough points to secure their place in the final. The South Africans had a chance to wrap up the contest on day four, but when Pat Cummins dismissed Temba Bavuma with the first ball of the final session, it confirmed Australia’s victory.