World Test Championship: Dates, schedule, teams, format, history, records and more

The ICC World Test Championship is a two-year tournament which consists of nine nations vying to be crowned Test champions of the world.

First launched in 2019, the competition ranks teams based on the percentage of points won in eligible Test matches before the top two nations go head-to-head in the World Test Championship final.

Here's everything you need to know about the international championship for Test cricket.

World Test Championship dates

The 2023-25 World Test Championship commenced on the 16th June 2023 with the 1st Ashes Test between England and Australia.

The WTC Final will be played over five days in the summer of 2025, starting on 11th June.

World Test Championship teams

The top nine ranked nations in the ICC Test team standings compete in the World Test Championship.

Those nations are:

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• England
• India
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• West Indies

World Test Championship format

Nations will compete in a league stage which consists of 27 series and 69 matches.

Each team will play at least six series - three at home and three away - with each series consisting of between two to five Test matches.

The two nations at the top of the table upon conclusion of all league matches will qualify for the final.

World Test Championship points system

The league standings are not determined by the total number of points won, but by the percentage of total points won out of total points contested.

Upon conclusion of all matches, the two teams with the best percentage advance to the final.

In a singular Test match, a win is worth 12 points. In the event of a tie, both teams are awarded six points, while a draw sees both competitors receive four points.

The team that loses the match receives no points.

Match result	Points earned	Points contested	Percentage of points won
Win	12	12	100
Tie	6	12	50
Draw	4	12	33.33
Loss	0	12	0

In each match, both teams are required to meet a specified over rate. Bowling teams that fail to achieve the minimum over rate incur a points deduction.

For example, the minimum over rate in Test cricket is 15 overs per hour. If a team has an over rate of 14, they will be deducted a point.

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World Test Championship venues

Each nation will host at least three Test series at home and compete in three Test series away.

The final will be held at Lord's in London, England.

World Test Championship history

Though the original idea of the World Test Championship was conceived in 2011, it was not officially unveiled until 2017 when the ICC announced that a Test league had been formally agreed by members.

The inaugural edition began in the summer of 2019 with the Ashes series between England and Australia. Despite seeing a considerable amount of disruption during the two-year cycle as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Test Championship was able to reach a conclusion with the final being held at the Rose Bowl in Southampton from 18th-23rd June 2021.

New Zealand were crowned champions, defeating India by eight wickets on a reserve day after a rain-affected finale.

The next cycle commenced in August 2021 and the ICC introduced the current points system to the World Test Championship.

India qualified for the final again but suffered further heartache, this time at The Oval as Australia got their hands on the trophy with a 209-run triumph.

World Test Championship records

Team records

Most titles: New Zealand, Australia - 1
Highest Score: New Zealand (v Pakistan) - 659/6d
Lowest Score: India (v Australia) - 36

Player records

Most runs in a single tournament: Joe Root, 1,915 (2021-2023)
Most hundreds in a single tournament: Joe Root, 8 (2021-2023)
Highest individual score: David Warner (Australia v Pakistan) - 335*
Most wickets in a single tournament: Nathan Lyon, 83 (2021-2023)
Best bowling figures in a match: Ajaz Patel (New Zealand v India) - 14/225