Sunday 24 / November / 2024
The World Test Championship finals was supposed to be the Daddy of all finals and everyone around the world including the two teams and fans were looking forward to a high profile contest between the two teams.
This World Test Championship had started in 2019 but could not be finished in 2020 due to the Pandemic and hence it was stretched to 2021 and the venue of the finals which would be England was decided in March 2021. At that time, Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager, Cricket said: “The ICC World Test Championship final is the pinnacle event in the Test calendar and is intended to be a week-long celebration of the oldest form of the game. We are confident that in selecting the Hampshire Bowl, we have given ourselves the best possible chance to successfully deliver the final whilst keeping everyone involved safe and healthy and giving fans the opportunity to watch the two best Test teams in the world go head-to-head for the right to call themselves the ICC World Test Champions.”
Everyone knows how fickle the weather is in England in summers which are from June to September and in spite of 4 full games being wiped out in the 2019 World Cup, the ICC still decided to make England as the venue for the finals.
I know rain is in no one's control for sure and can happen anywhere but the subtle nature of England Weather in the past and that too what happened in the 2019 World Cup, the ICC could have learnt a lesson and instead chosen another country as this was known to be the ultimate test finals. As this would set the platform for the future Test Championship and given youngsters and other associate
countries, the idea how big is the World Test Championship.
Today we are in the fourth day which has been washed out completely like the first day and only 142overs have been bowled in four days’ time. It's a shame that in spite of adding an extra day which was kept in mind considering the England weather. The test might end in a draw and we would not know who will be the winner as with only two days left, it looks very unlikely that we might have a result in this game unless something drastic happens in the next two days.
Not only the fans are disappointed but also it is a big loss for all the broadcasters around the world , who are showcasing this high profile test match.
There is a common saying "once bitten twice shy" but it's a pity ICC has not learnt after the trolls they faced after the 2019 World Cup’s 4 washed out games and ICC still kept the World Test Championship finals in England where in spite of having six days, we might not have even one innings completed. It has been a complete waste of the two years put in by the two fitting finalist and one will have to share the trophy because of a stalemate due to the inclement weather in England.
