ICC to stick with percentage of points won

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Monday said percentage of points won will decide the next World Test Championship finalists after the system was adopted in the Covid-hit inaugural event.

India and New Zealand will play the WTC final in Southampton starting Friday with the winner getting $1.6 million along with the Test mace. The runners-up will pocket $800,000 in the nine-team competition.

The ICC switched from the original system of total points to percentage of points won midway in the first cycle which was severely disrupted by the pandemic. "It will be the first time the sport will have official world champions in the format. It (the WTC) has come to symbolise 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," Geoff Allardice, the ICC chief executive, said in an interaction with members of the media

The new method left Virat Kohli´s India needing to win the Test series away in Australia and the one at home against England to make the final.

Australia, who finished third on the points table, England, who were fourth, and Pakistan, the fifth-placed side, will receive $450,000, USD 350,000 and USD 200,000 respectively, while the remaining teams that were a part of the competition - West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - will get $100,000 each.

India booked their place in the final after a 3-1 series win over England in March. Kane Williamson´s side secured their spot when Australia´s tour of South Africa was postponed this year due to the pandemic.

"One of the things that happened during this cycle was that it became evident that not everyone was going to complete their six series as a result of postponements," he said.