According to Sanjog Gupta, CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the three World Test Championship (WTC) finals that have been conducted thus far have effectively achieved the goal of creating a premier event for the conventional format.
South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand have all won the WTC trophy once, while India has placed second twice.
Despite the absence of both India and the hosts, England, Gupta emphasised that a crowded Lord’s during the most recent final between Australia and South Africa was a historic occasion for the international cricket organisation. He pointed out that the spectacular attendance showed how fans around the world are genuinely interested in the WTC final and now look forward to it with the same fervour as other significant ICC events.
“Giving context to the two years of Test cricket that precedes that final is what the World Test Championship final attempts to do, beyond just being a five-plus-one-day event where the two best teams compete for the greatest prize in the format,” Gupta stated at the announcement of the ICC’s worldwide partnership with AB InBev India.
“That was the intention behind the World Test Championship’s inception, and after three editions, we can say that the World Test Championship final has unquestionably fulfilled its mission of serving as the premier Test cricket event. “Lord’s was packed when Australia and South Africa played in the last World Test Championship final in England,” he continued.
Gupta admitted that the narrative and storytelling surrounding Test cricket are further strengthened by the increasing fan anticipation in the months preceding the final.
“Australia was playing South Africa, and Lord’s was packed, even though India and England weren’t playing. This means that we now have the ultimate Test cricket event that everyone in the world, or those who love the sport, looks forward to.” Additionally, it gave the bilateral Test cricket being played in the lead-up to that World Test Championship final more meaning, context, and significance because the entire narrative in the six months leading up to the final was about who would feature,” Gupta concluded.
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