Lord’s to host 2025 World Test Championship final from June 11-15

Dubai, Sep 3 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) The third World Test Championship final will be played at the Lord’s Cricket Ground from June 11 to 15, the International Cricket Council announced on Tuesday. The one-off Test will have June 16 as a reserve day if required, it said. 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 in the standings at the completion of the current cycle. “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,” ICC CEO Geoff 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,” he added. Currently, Rohit Sharma-led India are sitting in pole position ahead of reigning champions Australia. New Zealand (third), England (fourth), Sri Lanka (fifth), South Africa (sixth) and Bangladesh (seventh) are still well in contention for a place in the one-off decider. However, Bangladesh jumped to fourth place after a series whitewash against Pakistan, who slipped to eighth place from seventh. India will take on defending champions Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scheduled from November 22, 2024 to January 7, 2025. —