ICC World Test Championship final to be held at Lord's, dates revealed

LONDON: The iconic Lord's stadium in London will be hosting the ICC World Test Championship final from June 11 onwards next year. A statement from ICC confirmed the dates for marquee clash in Tests, saying, "Lord's to host the third edition of the World Test Championship final from 11 June 2025."

The one-off Test will be played at the iconic London venue from 11 to 15 June 2025, with 16 June available as a reserve day if required. It will be the first time that Lord's has been used for the World Test Championship final, with Southhampton as the venue for the first edition (2021) and The Oval as the venue for the second edition (2023), that were won by New Zealand and Australia respectively.

The match will be played between the top two sides on the standings at the completion of the current cycle, with Rohit Sharma's India currently sitting in pole position ahead of reigning champions Australia. Men in Blue have featured in both the WTC finals so far but is yet to capture the prestigious mace.

There are still plenty of points available for teams though, with New Zealand (third), England (fourth), Sri Lanka (fifth), South Africa (sixth) and Bangladesh (seventh) still well in contention for a place in the one-off decider. Fans will get the chance to register their interest for tickets for the World Test Championship final and ICC CEO Geoff Allardice expects demand to be high for the eagerly-awaited contest.

"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 as quoted by ICC. "It is 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," he added.