3 countries apart from England that could host WTC Final 2025
The International Cricket Council (ICC) launched the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2019, and so far, both editions of the WTC Final have taken place in England.
India qualified for the finals on both occasions. They lost against New Zealand at Southampton in 2021, while this year, they suffered a defeat against Australia at The Oval. ICC has already announced that the Lord's Cricket Ground will play host to the next WTC Final in 2025.
There have been constant changes in ICC's schedule over the few years. The T20 World Cup of Australia was moved from 2020 to 2022, while the Champions Trophy made a return after being scrapped.
The 2021 T20 World Cup moved from India to UAE and Oman, while there are reports of the 2023 edition being moved out of the USA and West Indies. Thus, fans should not consider Lord's as the final venue for the WTC Final 2025.
In a recent press conference, Indian captain Rohit Sharma suggested some changes to ICC with regards to WTC Final. Here's what the Indian skipper said:
"June isn't the only month we should play the WTC Final. It can be played anywhere in the world and not just England."
In case ICC moves the WTC Final 2025 out of England, here are three nations that can host the big game.
#1 India has many stadiums that can host WTC Final 2025
India has been the most consistent team in the World Test Championship. Although they could not win either of the two finals they played, they were the only ones to qualify for both finals.
India is home to some of the best stadiums in the world. The atmosphere in their stadiums is unmatched as well. ICC can think of moving the final to Eden Gardens, Narendra Modi Stadium, or Wankhede Stadium to give an even grander feel to the World Test Championship Final.
#2 Australia
With the next edition of the World Test Championship, ICC can follow BCCI's model of allotting the final match of the next tournament to the team that won the final. In the Indian Premier League, the team that wins the trophy generally gets the chance to host next season's final.
The same can happen in WTC Final as well, and Australia being the defending champions, can host the big match in 2025. Like England, Australia has some historic venues that can deliver an epic Test match for the fans. A packed house at the Melbourne Cricket Ground can provide a fantastic atmosphere for the WTC Final.
#3 South Africa
South Africa has some of the most beautiful cricket venues in the world and the Proteas have a rich history in Test cricket. The conditions in South Africa are also magnificent for Test matches.
Johannesburg, Durban, or Cape Town could be the ideal host for the World Test Championship Final if ICC decides to move the final out of England.
It has been a long time since South Africa hosted a big tournament in men's cricket. Perhaps, ICC can allot them the rights to host the next edition of the World Test Championship Final.