Lord’s to host 2025 World Test Championship final

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday that the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final will be held at Lord’s for the first time. The highly anticipated match, featuring the two top-ranked teams in the WTC standings, is set to begin on June 11 at the iconic “Home of Cricket.”

Australia are the reigning champions, having defeated India in the 2023 final at The Oval. The inaugural WTC final in 2021 saw New Zealand claim victory over India in Southampton.

The WTC ranks nine Test-playing nations based on their performances in the traditional five-day format over a two-year cycle, which began in 2023. Currently, India leads the rankings, followed by Australia in second place, New Zealand in third, and England in fourth. The two finalists for the 2025 showdown at Lord’s will be confirmed on January 28.

Guy Lavender, Chief Executive and Secretary of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, expressed his excitement about hosting the final. “We’re delighted to be working with the ICC to bring the World Test Championship Final to Lord’s for the first time. It is our great privilege to be asked to host a final of any kind but to welcome the two best men’s sides in Test cricket, our most cherished format, is a singular honour.”

The 2025 WTC final promises to be a historic event, adding another chapter to the 140-year legacy of Test cricket at Lord’s.

(Source: AFP)