Here comes the most important cricket match EVER

[cricketjoshila]

The ICC are now contractually committed to hold the WTC final every two years till 2031. If they didn't want to host it any shape or form, they could have easily removed it from the next events cycle and made a provisional arrangement to schedule the event if necessary.

The ICC board can remove the WTC via majority vote.

 

[U$ofA]

I totally agree with that, and that's unlikely to change till the overall broadcasting strategy of the sport - especially bilateral cricket - is restructured.

More to do with the fact that there is no money in Tests (baring 3 series). On the other hand there is a huge demand for T20.

Why would the ICC and the broadcasters take on a loss making proposition?

 

[U$ofA]

The ICC board can remove the WTC via majority vote.

That's an interesting bit of information. So if enough boards don't want it, the WTC is gone?

 

[Last Monetarist]

More to do with the fact that there is no money in Tests (baring 3 series). On the other hand there is a huge demand for T20.

Why would the ICC and the broadcasters take on a loss making proposition?

No, there is huge demand for Indian cricket. The broadcast value of any event in which India doesn't participate, regardless of format, will plummet. We saw what happened in the West Indies in 2007. The problem isn't merely attributable to one particular format of cricket or whatnot.

A lot of people keep conflating the inherent structural issues in the sport with the idea that it's the lack of popularity of specific formats. Cricket as a sport is utterly dependent on the broadcasting revenue from Indian television, which pays a premium for events where India is guaranteed to play a certain number of matches. Any ICC event for which there is no interest from Indian television will not make much money.

 

[Last Monetarist]

The ICC board can remove the WTC via majority vote.

You can say that about any ICC event though including the WT20. There was no reason for the board to make a commitment to schedule the WTC final over the next 10 years, at present, if there wasn't interest from member boards. There's clearly appetite from the more powerful boards, including the BCCI, for the WTC to be held for the foreseeable future.

 

[MesonK]

India will lose the game

no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy ... for the sake of cricket.

 

[arunpsm]

India will lose the game

no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy ... for the sake of cricket.

Away SENA win ratio will be greatly improved by Team India during WTC & Eng summer. So do not write us off.

 

[Mesozoic]

India will lose the game

no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy ... for the sake of cricket.

So the best test team in the world , that finished no.1 in the championship and have won 2/3 away series in the cycle "should not" lift the trophy but a team that reached the final on home bullying having won zero away series during the tournament "should win". )

Just admit that you don't want India to win for obvious reasons and move on...

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

India these days is too busy debating why muslims must be sent to concentration camps and why drinking cow urine is so great.

Cricket's importance as a national concern is at an all time low.

Speak for yourself......At least it brought the sunshine to your otherwise erstwhile existence....

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

On another note, now that there is no home team, whats the goss on pitch preparation? will it be swing, seam, bounce , spin or a batting motorway?....

 

[Hitman]

India will lose the game

no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy ... for the sake of cricket.

Why not be honest to yourself and admit that India winning would burn the back of your shirt?

 

[MP2011]

So the best test team in the world , that finished no.1 in the championship and have won 2/3 away series in the cycle "should not" lift the trophy but a team that reached the final on home bullying having won zero away series during the tournament "should win". )

Just admit that you don't want India to win for obvious reasons and move on...

The guy is a known India hater, you should've guessed it by now!

 

[MP2011]

On another note, now that there is no home team, whats the goss on pitch preparation? will it be swing, seam, bounce , spin or a batting motorway?....

Curator is great believer of seaming pitches and doesn't want to see any turn before day 5!

 

[cricketjoshila]

That's an interesting bit of information. So if enough boards don't want it, the WTC is gone?

Yes.

 

[cricketjoshila]

You can say that about any ICC event though including the WT20. There was no reason for the board to make a commitment to schedule the WTC final over the next 10 years, at present, if there wasn't interest from member boards. There's clearly appetite from the more powerful boards, including the BCCI, for the WTC to be held for the foreseeable future.

There is interest today. It may change in future. If BCCI or other powerful boards find that the WTC interferes with their schedule and there is not enough financial incentive, it may be scrapped.

 

[Last Monetarist]

There is interest today. It may change in future. If BCCI or other powerful boards find that the WTC interferes with their schedule and there is not enough financial incentive, it may be scrapped.

That argument is self-evident, and applies equally to any other tournament organized by the ICC.

The difference between the WTC and other events such as the Champions Trophy is that there are no conflicting interests with individual boards. The BCCI or CA get to keep 100% of the revenue from WTC series held domestically.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

No, there is huge demand for Indian cricket. The broadcast value of any event in which India doesn't participate, regardless of format, will plummet. We saw what happened in the West Indies in 2007. The problem isn't merely attributable to one particular format of cricket or whatnot.

A lot of people keep conflating the inherent structural issues in the sport with the idea that it's the lack of popularity of specific formats. Cricket as a sport is utterly dependent on the broadcasting revenue from Indian television, which pays a premium for events where India is guaranteed to play a certain number of matches. Any ICC event for which there is no interest from Indian television will not make much money.

There might be a huge demand for Indian cricket - big audience both home and abroad - but the demand will be for limited overs cricket not 5 day snoozefests. Purists won't want to hear it but the days of test cricket are dwindling. Only the real enthusiasts follow it these days.

 

[Last Monetarist]

There might be a huge demand for Indian cricket - big audience both home and abroad - but the demand will be for limited overs cricket not 5 day snoozefests. Purists won't want to hear it but the days of test cricket are dwindling. Only the real enthusiasts follow it these days.

That's just cliched nonsense. Tell that to Sony that paid huge money for India away tours to Australia, England, and South Africa*.

*contract with Star now

 

[Shazzam]

I don’t get the final vibe from this match. Feels like a regular Test match. Viewership will be a key decider on how important it is and what is the future of this tournament.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

What people don’t realize is that 1975 WC Final happened it was thought as hit and giggle and the teams which had a test series right after the WC, were more concerned about that

 

[cricketjoshila]

That argument is self-evident, and applies equally to any other tournament organized by the ICC.

The difference between the WTC and other events such as the Champions Trophy is that there are no conflicting interests with individual boards. The BCCI or CA get to keep 100% of the revenue from WTC series held domestically.

They keep any money from their home series today too. Its about keeping nearly 2 months a year free for ICC every year when WTC is played along with another Icc tournament.

 

[Last Monetarist]

They keep any money from their home series today too. Its about keeping nearly 2 months a year free for ICC every year when WTC is played along with another Icc tournament.

The rationale is that if the WTC adds context to bilateral test series, the value of domestic tv rights should increase more than if that were not the case. The BCCI have nothing to lose whatsoever by promoting the WTC in its current guise.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

That's just cliched nonsense. Tell that to Sony that paid huge money for India away tours to Australia, England, and South Africa*.

*contract with Star now

Don't those tours include limited overs games as well?

 

[Last Monetarist]

Don't those tours include limited overs games as well?

The bulk of the value is tied to iconic test series (such as the Border Gavaskar or Pataudi trophies), the value of bilateral white ball cricket is limited without any context. Even in the BCCI's domestic international rights contract (excluding the IPL), the bulk of the value on an aggregate basis comes from test cricket. Sony wouldn't dream of swapping the rights of the last two test tours of Australia for anything other than guaranteed Indian home international matches or the IPL.

 

[JattMaula]

The bulk of the value is tied to iconic test series (such as the Border Gavaskar or Pataudi trophies), the value of bilateral white ball cricket is limited without any context. Even in the BCCI's domestic international rights contract (excluding the IPL), the bulk of the value on an aggregate basis comes from test cricket. Sony wouldn't dream of swapping the rights of the last two test tours of Australia for anything other than guaranteed Indian home international matches or the IPL.

OK. I love test cricket but this is pure wishful thinking.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The bulk of the value is tied to iconic test series (such as the Border Gavaskar or Pataudi trophies), the value of bilateral white ball cricket is limited without any context. Even in the BCCI's domestic international rights contract (excluding the IPL), the bulk of the value on an aggregate basis comes from test cricket. Sony wouldn't dream of swapping the rights of the last two test tours of Australia for anything other than guaranteed Indian home international matches or the IPL.

As long as test series are tied together with limited over games, it will remain difficult to evaluate the monetary value of test matches independently. What we do know is that the T20 leagues are pulling viewers and players away from longer format games, to the extent that players will often prefer to play in club competitions abroad rather than test matches for their national sides. In India there will always be an audience for cricket, but let's not pretend that viewers over there aren't also moving towards the shorter format of the game, and that's where the money is headed as well.

 

[Artaxerxes]

It is just another test match.Cricket fans will not be glued to their TVs to see this match.It is not the most important match for me.

 

[Rajdeep]

In terms of being legitimate finalists…

New Zealand played two World Test Championship matches against India in this cycle.

In the First Test, NZ lost 10 wickets in bowling out India twice.

In the Second Test, NZ lost 13 wickets in bowling out India twice.

India had innings scores of:

165 all out
191 all out
242 all out
124 all out.

These two teams are legitimately in the Final.

NZ won and drew their last two Test series in England.

Australia lost and drew their last two Test series in England.

NZ won and drew their last two Test series away to Pakistan in the UAE.

Australia lost and lost their last two Test series away to Pakistan in the UAE.

Except in Australian conditions, this NZ team is clearly superior to Australia.

NZ played those 2 matches against India at home. India would beat NZ at home as well, so no big deal. Its the away wins that count.

NZ has only 1 away win in this WTC cycle and that too against SL.

India has 3 overseas win during this cycle - 2 in Australia where NZ got whitewashed and 1 in West Indies.

India is easily the best team in this WTC Cycle followed by Australia.

So [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] has a point.

 

[cricketjoshila]

The rationale is that if the WTC adds context to bilateral test series, the value of domestic tv rights should increase more than if that were not the case. The BCCI have nothing to lose whatsoever by promoting the WTC in its current guise.

A test series team will earn BCCI big bucks anyway. BCCI's broadcast rights are sold on per match not on opponent basis. So WTC doesn't help BCCI financially.

But if every other year BCCI has to keep 2 months for ICC they may not be very happy about it.

 

[cricketjoshila]

The bulk of the value is tied to iconic test series (such as the Border Gavaskar or Pataudi trophies), the value of bilateral white ball cricket is limited without any context. Even in the BCCI's domestic international rights contract (excluding the IPL), the bulk of the value on an aggregate basis comes from test cricket. Sony wouldn't dream of swapping the rights of the last two test tours of Australia for anything other than guaranteed Indian home international matches or the IPL.

Incorrect. STAR pays Bcci Rs 60.1 cr per game. Be it tests odis or T20s.

BCCI operates very differently from other boards. Most boards value of the broadcast rights depend on who they are playing. Not for the BCCI.

 

[cricketjoshila]

The bulk of the value is tied to iconic test series (such as the Border Gavaskar or Pataudi trophies), the value of bilateral white ball cricket is limited without any context. Even in the BCCI's domestic international rights contract (excluding the IPL), the bulk of the value on an aggregate basis comes from test cricket. Sony wouldn't dream of swapping the rights of the last two test tours of Australia for anything other than guaranteed Indian home international matches or the IPL.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...plainer/story-U892fkAaHLXInc8ey1z5TI_amp.html

Here. This is how the E auction is conducted.

 

[U$ofA]

There might be a huge demand for Indian cricket - big audience both home and abroad - but the demand will be for limited overs cricket not 5 day snoozefests. Purists won't want to hear it but the days of test cricket are dwindling. Only the real enthusiasts follow it these days.

Spot on. You only have to look at how the ICC handled WTC and WT20. Wanted no part or control over WTC but wanted full control of WT20.

Tells you where the interest, fans and $$$ are.

 

[wrongun]

Curator is great believer of seaming pitches and doesn't want to see any turn before day 5!

Shane Warne has a saying: if it seams, it spins. Seaming wickets require some grass left on- which a good spinner can use to grip & spin the ball.

Dry bare wickets are not the only way to find spin.

So if really provides a seaming wicket (as opposed to flat standard) then if the spinners are good enough to give it a proper rip, they'll find turn.

 

[JattMaula]

Shane Warne has a saying: if it seams, it spins. Seaming wickets require some grass left on- which a good spinner can use to grip & spin the ball.

Dry bare wickets are not the only way to find spin.

So if really provides a seaming wicket (as opposed to flat standard) then if the spinners are good enough to give it a proper rip, they'll find turn.

Why would spinners even bowl on green mamba though?

Green below and grey overhead is perfect for 45 over innings. 15 overs per pacer and team is 150 all out.

 

[Junaids]

There might be a huge demand for Indian cricket - big audience both home and abroad - but the demand will be for limited overs cricket not 5 day snoozefests. Purists won't want to hear it but the days of test cricket are dwindling. Only the real enthusiasts follow it these days.

Not everything in sport is played to pander to the tastes of an Indian market though.

All cricketers everywhere know that Test cricket is the highest form of the game and the most prestigious. You can earn more money playing T20, like Mohammad Amir, but ultimately it's pretty dispiriting to prostitute yourself out playing a garbage form of cricket instead of being where the prestige is.

As I said earlier, the World Test Championship will be viewed by less Indians than the IPL just as in America today more people will eat McDonalds than a fine dining meal.

But the McDonalds meal is still trash. Popular trash, but trash.

I am incredibly relieved that India is in the World Test Championship Final, because hopefully the viewing figures will be good enough to make it appear to be a commercial success.

 

[OMB]

I feel you will find enough Indians to fill the stadiums this time around. All of them got bored being stuck at home so expect a rebound to fill the stadium seats

 

[Devadwal]

I feel you will find enough Indians to fill the stadiums this time around. All of them got bored being stuck at home so expect a rebound to fill the stadium seats

But only 4k fans allowed to watch WTC final in stadium. this is pretty bad decision knowing full house was allowed in England series

 

[Last Monetarist]

A test series team will earn BCCI big bucks anyway. BCCI's broadcast rights are sold on per match not on opponent basis. So WTC doesn't help BCCI financially.

But if every other year BCCI has to keep 2 months for ICC they may not be very happy about it.

I don't think it's a particularly difficult concept to grasp, if the WTC increases viewership and sponsorship opportunities for bilateral test series in India, the BCCI stands to gain. There is no downside to the present arrangement, which only imposes an extra couple of weeks of commitment every 2 years (provided India qualifies for the final, which again will only prove that the state of Indian test cricket is healthy).

The argument that the BCCI will be unhappy if the ICC changes the structure to the detriment of Indian cricket is neither here nor there, and equivalent to arguing that India will withdraw from the ODI World Cup if the ICC forces them to give half their distribution share to the PCB.

 

[Last Monetarist]

OK. I love test cricket but this is pure wishful thinking.

The ECB earns approximately 80 million pounds in higher overseas broadcast revenue from test series against India. You can check the disclosures in the ECB's financial statements. Sure the audience for limited overs cricket is probably higher, but there is a core test match viewership which dictates that Indian broadcasters pays a premium for high profile test series.

 

[pakrock]

I feel India had more chance if it was 3 match final. They always seems to lose 1st test match and then bounce back in last few matches to win the series more often...

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...plainer/story-U892fkAaHLXInc8ey1z5TI_amp.html

Here. This is how the E auction is conducted.

Fair enough, thanks.

 

[sindhiboy]

I feel India had more chance if it was 3 match final. They always seems to lose 1st test match and then bounce back in last few matches to win the series more often...

True.
I really don't see the point of a one off test match tbh.

A wtc final with 2-3 test match series makes much more sense.

India don't really have a chance without any match practice.

I still see nz winning a series vs india. Possibly a whitewash or nz winning 2-1 if india win the toss in a test with favorable conditons .

 

[MP2011]

What a preview by legends.
https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1405418236984758272?s=19

Great viewing, thanks for sharing.

 

[IndianMafia]

It will be close one but I think India is winning this !

 

[Pakhs]

The weather will suit India? How come?

It has been extremely hot by UK standards for last 2 weeks so that will help prepare a wicket.

 

[Pakhs]

It's predicted to rain nearly all five days according to the weather forecast.

Well if it rains it wont suit anyone but weather leading up to the game has been dry and hot which should help prepare a good wicket.

 

[street cricketer]

Well if it rains it wont suit anyone but weather leading up to the game has been dry and hot which should help prepare a good wicket.

That's true. But in general, in moist cool weather you expect the ball to swing around in the air, against which Indian batsmen generally struggle.

 

[OMB]

I feel India had more chance if it was 3 match final. They always seems to lose 1st test match and then bounce back in last few matches to win the series more often...

you got it perfectly summer up. India are traditionally slow starters

 

[Pakhs]

That's true. But in general, in moist cool weather you expect the ball to swing around in the air, against which Indian batsmen generally struggle.

That we don't know until the game starts... when its wet sometime its easier to bat. But if we get overcast conditions with dry spells then yes it will help the team who finds itself bowling most around that time.

 

[Pakhs]

you got it perfectly summer up. India are traditionally slow starters

I am not too sure about that in England, India have not started badly in England in the past but this is a neutral game so there is a bit of unknow here.

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

Shane Warne has a saying: if it seams, it spins. Seaming wickets require some grass left on- which a good spinner can use to grip & spin the ball.

Dry bare wickets are not the only way to find spin.

So if really provides a seaming wicket (as opposed to flat standard) then if the spinners are good enough to give it a proper rip, they'll find turn.

Yes valid point....i remembered this when Harbie took all those wickets for us in Hamilton test 2009. To be honest that wicket was green mamba and swung a lot on the first day.
but come the 4th day Harbie was king and spun us to victory.
There is merit in that theory, i remember Shane warne himself taking heaps in a headingley test match -maybe 2005 when it also was a swinging wicket.

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

I feel India had more chance if it was 3 match final. They always seems to lose 1st test match and then bounce back in last few matches to win the series more often...

Yep,,,,we are traditionally slow off the mark...and i hope that doesnt come to bite us this time.....
I agree with Shastri....wish this was a best of 3 series....

 

[BDfanforever]

No, it's not. In the midst of Euro, test championship is the dullest tournament ever. More than two years, and the tournament is still ON. This kind of joke exist only in Cricket.

 

[wrongun]

Why would spinners even bowl on green mamba though?

Green below and grey overhead is perfect for 45 over innings. 15 overs per pacer and team is 150 all out.

Because they can be just as effective as pacers on it if you have a greenish wicket. Seen plenty of seam attacks waste a greentop with poor length or line while a captain with no imagination leaves the spinner twiddling this thumbs.

Maybe not needed in extreme cases. maybe also just Warney's way of ensuring he got a few overs.

 

[wrongun]

No, it's not. In the midst of Euro, test championship is the dullest tournament ever. More than two years, and the tournament is still ON. This kind of joke exist only in Cricket.

Or you could view it as unique.

Why try to make cricket just like football? Football already does football. Cricket sux when it tries to be football but it's been pretty good at being cricket, despite being declared "dead" umpteen times.

 

[Napa]

India will lose the game

no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy ... for the sake of cricket.

For the sake of cricket you believe "no team with away SENA 9/11 losses should lift the trophy".

Are you aware of NZ's recent record in India and Aus? )

 

[kingusama92]

India winning might help turn the format around.

They will want to keep something going that they are the world champions of. They will even try to elevate its status.

 

[U$ofA]

Not everything in sport is played to pander to the tastes of an Indian market though.

All cricketers everywhere know that Test cricket is the highest form of the game and the most prestigious. You can earn more money playing T20, like Mohammad Amir, but ultimately it's pretty dispiriting to prostitute yourself out playing a garbage form of cricket instead of being where the prestige is.

As I said earlier, the World Test Championship will be viewed by less Indians than the IPL just as in America today more people will eat McDonalds than a fine dining meal.

But the McDonalds meal is still trash. Popular trash, but trash.

I am incredibly relieved that India is in the World Test Championship Final, because hopefully the viewing figures will be good enough to make it appear to be a commercial success.

You are forgetting that the whole reason Mcdonalds exist is because people are tired, bored and disinterested in fine dining meal. Back 30 yrs and beyond all fans had was an overload of "fine dining". It was consumed at current Mcdonalds level!

Also, now Mcdonalds is forced to pay for fine dining existence. Fine dining has no money to buy anything to cook and sell to fans. So money is taken from Mcdonalds!

If you don't believe me, all you have to do is ask BCB, PCB, SLC, CSA, WI, NZ and perhaps even the BCCI.

 

[Rafa]

Most important match ever about to get washed out.

 

[in_cutter]

Friday is looking like a problem, but the rest of the match looks ok - the only problem is if the ground gets flooded on Friday.

It may well lead to New Zealand dropping Patel and going in with 4 quicks plus De Grandhomme.

It will be a washout

 

[ravisurya]

Obviously ICC didnt think it was that important and went with England. Absolute shame.

 

[krikit]

“No, for me this is another Test match that has to be played"
Kohli went on to state that the notion of a one-off Test match deciding the best team in the world “is not the reality of the truth” – that, he said, is defined by a body or work over a number of years.


There you have it from the man himself. Can at least the Kohli ******* get off this ridiculous hype train now? India is playing a 6-match test series in England. That's it!

 

[JattMaula]

Obviously ICC didnt think it was that important and went with England. Absolute shame.

Yup. This final is a afterthought. Nobody loves it.

And why would they? Whole tournament is shoddy work. Everybody doent play everybody, rule changes midway, final about to be washed away and many more disappointments.

 

[SL_Fan]

The weather forecast looks good currently, which probably favours India by meaning we are more likely to get Zak Crawley 267 style big runs.

The Reserve Day is a fantastic innovation too.

We are pretty much guaranteed 450 overs of cricket.

The forecast is for only passing showers, and Friday to Monday are all due to be cloudy and around 18 degrees.

Spot on as always.

 

[U$ofA]

Obviously ICC didnt think it was that important and went with England. Absolute shame.

Yup. This final is a afterthought. Nobody loves it.

And why would they? Whole tournament is shoddy work. Everybody doent play everybody, rule changes midway, final about to be washed away and many more disappointments.

The ICC wants no part of WTC. Perhaps this is a strategy to get out of the one thing they are involved in the WTC - The Final.

 

[kingusama92]

Imagine working so hard to get to the final and then it's a washout.

Kinda shows why the format is dying.

 

[Shazzam]

The most important cricket match got the most important washout.

 

[U$ofA]

Why is there another test match ongoing at the same time? The Ind-NZ match is supposed to be the pinnacle of everything. Why is it not given it's own window?

By the way, is the CSA-WI test part of the next WTC or current WTC? If it's later, this farce of a WTC and its mismanagement is more comical than I thought.

 

[Ab Fan]

Yup. This final is a afterthought. Nobody loves it.

And why would they? Whole tournament is shoddy work. Everybody doent play everybody, rule changes midway, final about to be washed away and many more disappointments.

It is not their fault that they had to change the rule midway because COVID happened and nobody expected it to get stretched so far.

Also, everybody doesn't play everybody in other LOI world tournaments too but we do have finals and the winner gets a trophy.

Didn't rain interrupted finals of 2007 WC also? It is the inaugural WTC so expect some modification and better planning going forward.

 

[Shazzam]

Why is there another test match ongoing at the same time? The Ind-NZ match is supposed to be the pinnacle of everything. Why is it not given it's own window?

By the way, is the CSA-WI test part of the next WTC or current WTC? If it's later, this farce of a WTC and its mismanagement is more comical than I thought.

Very valid points. This is exactly why this Test final does not feel like a final.

 

[JattMaula]

Very valid points. This is exactly why this Test final does not feel like a final.

Yup. For all other icc finals, cricket world stops and takes notice. No other international matches. We have 3 tests going on simultaneously. Even PSL is on.

 

[Junaids]

Very valid points. This is exactly why this Test final does not feel like a final.

It doesn’t feel like a Final because you are trapped in your binary Winner-Loser paradigm.

That may fit white ball cricket, but in Test Cricket a Draw is every bit as Valid an outcome as a win or loss.

The current ICC Test Rankings, which most Indians have not noticed that they have been overtaken in, read:

1. New Zealand 123 points
2. India 121 points
3. Australia 108 points
4. England 107 points
5. Pakistan 94 points

I’ll be disappointed if rain spoils the match, but really with those current Rankings a Draw is the fairest possible outcome. India’s record is only slightly worse than New Zealand’s and they don’t deserve to have to win whereas New Zealand could draw if the Rankings were the tiebreaker.

 

[street cricketer]

Guys, the LOI world cups and Champions trophy take place in a cup format where all teams congregate together in a common venue for a selected period of time to decide the winner in a cup format.

This is not feasible in the case of test cricket as it would be very time consuming, although some (most recently Sachin) have floated the idea of a cup style tournament to decide the best test team in the world. Therefore, the final of the WTC will always happen as a standalone event rather than as part of a cup tournament like the ODI world cup. It's silly to ask the cricket world to come to a stand still when the final is happening. Just because the WTC final is happening doesn't mean other teams can't play their own bilateral fixtures.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Guys, the LOI world cups and Champions trophy take place in a cup format where all teams congregate together in a common venue for a selected period of time to decide the winner in a cup format.

This is not feasible in the case of test cricket as it would be very time consuming, although some (most recently Sachin) have floated the idea of a cup style tournament to decide the best test team in the world. Therefore, the final of the WTC will always happen as a standalone event rather than as part of a cup tournament like the ODI world cup. It's silly to ask the cricket world to come to a stand still when the final is happening. Just because the WTC final is happening doesn't mean other teams can't play their own bilateral fixtures.

It's an utterly ludicrous argument to demand that the whole WTC cycle is organized by the ICC, given that it's the host board that earns the revenue from bilateral home series. If the ICC goes and demands a cut of that pie from the BCCI, ECB, or CA, they'd be laughed out of town. Furthermore, the reason why the West Indies - South Africa series, and the PSL are occurring simultaneously is the bloody coronavirus.

There are plenty of things wrong with the format of the WTC and the ICC definitely needs to do better but folks gleefully celebrating the failure of the event are bang out of order.

 

[MenInG]

So people feel it was worth the wait?