Introduction

The ICC World Test Championship, run by the International Cricket Council (ICC) is all set to begin its first season in August. The first season will run for two years till June 2021. This will get underway when the recent 50-over World Cup winnner England will take on their arch-rival Australia in the first Test of the Ashes series on August 1 at Edgbaston.

To engage more fans, ICC has started this. With each series, the competition will be sharpened as the end of the championship; a global title will be given to the team who wins this 2-year-long tournament.

History

This is not the first time that ICC has approved the idea. The idea of ICC World Test Championship was approved in 2013 and 2017 as well but that couldn't take place. In 2013, the champions trophy took its place and the idea was re-scheduled for June 2017. The ICC World Test Championship was cancelled once again on January 2014 and the ICC Champions Trophy was reinstated in 2017.

However, in October 2017, it was announced by ICC that a Test league will be played, which would involve the top nine teams. The second ICC World Test Championship will continue from July 2021 to June 2023.

The Process and the Distribution of The Points 

The ICC World Test Championship will be played among nine top-ranked Test teams. All the teams will play six series each - three home series and three away series over the two-year span. In this period of time, each team will face six of the other eight teams, although it will not be complete round-robin league. Each of the series will be comprised of two and five Tests, so all the sides wouldn't play the same number of Test series.

No matter, the number of Tests, every series carries 120 points. A team can score 720 points max (six series, 120 points each) over the two-year-long period. The two teams who will have the most points at the end of the tournament will face each other in the final in England, June 2021.

Although the team will play fewer tests, wouldn't be a disadvantage for them in respect to points as the 120 points are available for each series. However, the points will not be available for series results; it will be given for Test results. So the points will be split equally among the five-match Tests in a series.

According to this count, 24 points or 20% will be there for each match. 60 points will be given for a win while 30 points will be given for a tie. On the other hand, 20 points will be given for a draw whereas no points will be given for a loss.

However, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan will not be featured in the first edition of the World Test Championship. Although, they will play Tests against one another and also with some of the Championship sides as well. Moreover, there will be Tests series outside the Championship like England tours New Zealand for two Tests in November this year.

What will happen if the final is tied?

If the final Test will tie or drawn, the team who will finish at the top of the table in the two-year-long tournament will be the champion of the championship.

ICC World Cricket Championship 2019 Schedule at a Glance