ICC World Test Championship final likely to be held as per schedule

Bengaluru, October 14: The International Cricket Council (ICC) said that final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) is likely to go ahead as per schedule in June 2021, despite the qualifying process being derailed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has literally sent the international calendar for a toss, prompting cancellation of a number of Test series and complicating the process of allocating WTC points from those matches in the process.

Even this year's Twenty20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October in Australia had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant restrictions in place, which literally opened a door for the conduct of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sanctioned cash-rich T20 franchise-based tournament could not be held in the usual April-May window due to the global outbreak of COVID-19.

However, the game's global governing body said WTC stays on course to be held as per schedule.

"The planning is still in progress. There is likely to be more clarity in the coming days once all stakeholders are aligned. There will be an announcement on this soon," an ICC spokesman told Reuters new agency.

However , the ICC spokesman did not elaborate as to how the points system would be reworked.

The ICC launched the WTC last year to lend context to bilateral Test series, giving the format its standalone showpiece like the World Cup in other formats.

Originally, nine top-ranked sides were scheduled to play six series over two years with the top two making the final at Lord's.

ICC WTC Rankings: England in third position after series win, India remain on top

India currently top the WTC points table, having played four series, followed by Australia who have played one fewer.

England have played four, including home series against West Indies and Pakistan in July-August, and are third.