ICC announces date and venue for final of WTC 2023-25 cycle

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the date and venue for the final of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. The international cricket governing body is slated to organise the marquee fixture at the Lord's Cricket Ground which is also popularly known as the 'Mecca of Cricket'.

The match will be played from June 11 to June 15 with a reserve day (June 16) in place, if required.

Notably, this is the third time a venue in England will be used to host the final of the ICC World Test Championship. The final of the first cycle (2019-21) was played at The Rose Bowl in Southampton where the Kiwis defeated India to clinch their first ICC silverware since the ICC Knockout Trophy in 2000.

The second cycle ran from 2021 to 2023 and its final was played between India and Australia - the top two teams at the end of the cycle.



Australia led by Pat Cummins, hammered Team India in the final showdown by 209 runs to win every trophy in the international cricketing circuit.

Meanwhile, the ICC CEO Geoff Allardice expects the fans to turn up in large numbers for the eagerly-awaited contest at Lord's. Allardice feels that Test cricket is here to stay and will continue to enchant fans in the foreseeable future.

“The ICC World Test Championship Final has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in the cricketing calendar and we are pleased to announce the dates for the 2025 edition," Allardice said.

"It's a testament to the enduring appeal of Test cricket, which continues to captivate fans around the world. Tickets will be in high demand so I would encourage fans to register their interest now to ensure they are in with a chance of attending the Ultimate Test next year."