The International Cricket Council (ICC) has scheduled the World Test Championship 2025 final at Lord’s starting on June 11. This will be the third WTC final (2021 in Southampton and 2023 in Kia Oval) in a row which will be held in England. Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon would suggest that the WTC final should be a three-match series with one game in England, one in India, and one in Australia so that players get to play in different conditions.
“One thing I would like to see, I’d like to see the World Test Championship Final potentially in a three-match series. You potentially could go one in England, one in India, one in Australia, so you have all different conditions, but obviously, the timing of that changes everything. I don’t think we’re going to get on the MCG in the middle of August, just putting it out there,” Lyon said speaking on the ICC.
“That may become a little bit better because you potentially can lose using a Test match in one session where [in a three-match series] it may allow teams to bounce back all your show their dominance and win 3-0. We’re pretty time-poor anyway and that’s going to be a challenge but that’s one thing I would change,” he reasoned.
Australia are the defending champions of the WTC as they defeated India at the Oval in London in 2023. Both India and Australia are heavy favorites to make the final yet again in 2025 and are currently at the top of the WTC cycle table. India will face Australia in the five-match Test series later this year which will be a pivotal point in deciding the finalists.
Bangladesh after thrashing Pakistan earlier this week in a two-match series has moved to the fourth spot and will face India in another two-match Test series later this month. New Zealand who are placed in third position too will face India later this year in a three-match Test series. England and South Africa are at fifth and sixth respectively with an outside chance to make it to the final.
