Time a major obstacle for ICC in completion of World Test Championship
After postponing all qualifying matches for associate members for the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 World Cup, the ICC have decided not to discuss the future of the World Test Championship at their Board meeting on March 29.
The ICC are still hopeful of conducting this year’s T20 World Cup as scheduled in October and November this year. Given the situation around the world, however, there is still uncertainty about the event going ahead as planned.
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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have suspended all cricketing activity in the country until May 28. England are scheduled to continue their World Test Championship journey with a series against West Indies beginning on June 4, and it is unlikely that their calendars will be reworked.
Bangladesh are also scheduled to host a Test series against Australia in June. If all these series are deferred, there may not be enough time to accommodate all the series for all nine teams before June 2021, when the final is slated to take place.
“Those matters will not be taken up now. The upcoming meetings will deal with urgent matters like approval of the accounts, audited statements etc. that are required for Annual Conference,” a top ICC official told The Indian Express.
At the moment, India sit atop the championship table with 360 points, with Australia quickly catching up at 296. Given the time left and games yet to be be played, other teams too have an opportunity to catch up to the teams at the top.