ICC introduces point system for WTC: What is it? How will it work?

Despite the sport being incredibly popular in many of the most populous countries in the world, cricket continues to be one of the most innovative ones.

There have been a number of variations of the game to have been created throughout its history, with the likes of the T20 format having grown into something many may have found unimaginable when it was first introduced.

Of course, the Test format is one that has stood the test of time, although there have been some modifications to the way the game has been played in recent years. One of the ways it has recently been modified is by the introduction of the World Test Championship, otherwise known as the WTC.

The first edition of the WTC has only recently concluded, with New Zealand having defeated India in a series that was ultimately won by 8 wickets in Southampton, England, at the Ageas Bowl.

The final for the 2021-23 competition has not yet been set, although there are a number of fixtures that have already been scheduled to happen, with India vs England being the opener. Despite the competition yet to have already started, bettors can already head to Unibet IN to place a wager on who might win the overall competition as the outright winners’ market has already been made available.

Points system to be introduced

However, it would seem that the International Cricket Committee (ICC) has decided to make a change to the WTC format for the upcoming 2021-23 series that is scheduled to take place shortly.

The most notable change to the way that the competition will be played is via the introduction of a points system. The modification is, arguably, easier for teams and cricket fans to follow as it allows for a rather general and generic system to be adopted.

In the latest set of rules, the ICC have provided rules in which each match will have the same set of allotted points available to obtain, with 12 points being awarded to the team that wins, whilst a tie will provide 6 points and a draw will provide a total of 4 points. The team to lose the fixture being played will not receive any points for that game.

This points system is a little different to the one that was used in the most recent edition of the WTC, as points were distributed based on the number of Test matches that were played in a series, with a possible 120 points in total available to win.

In addition, teams are potentially able to lose points via a deduction system, with -1 point being taken from them for every over they fall behind with on the over-rate that has been set.

It should be noted that the ranking system will continue to remain in place, as it will remain as the percentage of points that are achieved for the points played for.

Nine Test Teams Involved

The competition will see the nine Teams involved – Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies – each play a total of six series, with three being played at their home venues whilst the other three will be played away.

India and Pakistan will not play each other in the upcoming competition, which was the same as the inaugural edition, as well.

The upcoming cycle could be a busy one for Test nations such as England as they will play a total of 21 Tests in this period – including the five-game series that The Ashes will provide – whilst India will play in 19 and Australia have 18.

New Zealand will play the fewest Test series in this period, though, as they will only play 13, as will Sri Lanka and West Indies.