WTC final: Winning team to receive $1.6 million with mace
The winning team of the ICC World Test Championship is set to receive prize money of $1.6 million along with the championship mace. Geoff Allardice, the CEO of ICC, confirmed the development on Monday. He also informed that the runner-up of the match will receive $8,00,000. Meanwhile, the amount will be split evenly in case of a draw. Here are further details.
The prize money distribution
Winning team: $1.6 million and the ICC Test Championship Mace. Runner-up: $8,00,000. Third: $4,50,000. Fourth: $3,50,000. Fifth: $2,00,000. Remaining four teams to get $1,00,000 each.
WTC: A look at the standings
India lead the ICC WTC table with 520 points. They won 12 out of 17 matches in the cycle (lost 4, drawn 1). New Zealand follow them with 420 points (won seven out of 11 Tests). They were the first side to qualify for the WTC finale. The two sides are followed by Australia, England, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
'Test championship a vehicle to identify the best team'
Allardice is looking forward to the inaugural WTC final. "They (the teams) tend to be playing for the Test mace. It has come to symbolize the best team in Test cricket, and with the Test championship now being used as the vehicle to identify the best team in Test cricket, the mace is on offer over the five days in Southampton," he said.
The clash of titans!
The top two sides, New Zealand and India, will battle it out for the prestigious mace in the final at the Ageas Bowl, starting June 18. New Zealand, on Sunday won the final Test against England to win the Test series 1-0. They toppled India to top the ICC Test Team Rankings. Meanwhile, India will play their first Test since March 2021.
WTC: Next cycle to begin with the England-India series
While launching the WTC in 2019, the ICC had announced that it will continue with the championship in the 2021-2023 cycle too. India are scheduled to play a five-Test series in England right after the WTC final, which will mark the beginning of the next WTC cycle. The details on the allocation of points are yet to be out.
