Dubai, June 17 (IANS) After the culmination of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with South Africa lifting the mace at iconic Lord’s last week, ICC Chair Jay Shah is looking forward to the next instalment of the WTC and wished players all the best ahead of the new cycle.

The next cycle begins in earnest with a string of high-profile series kicking off proceedings. Sri Lanka’s two-Test series at home against Bangladesh, which begins on 17 June, is the first contest of the 2025-27 cycle and soon overlaps with a five-Test showdown between England and India.

Indian and Eng;and will go head-to-head at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford and The Oval in the coming weeks.

“The third edition of the World Test Championship came to a fantastic conclusion at Lord’s as Australia and South Africa played out a classic encounter and we now look forward to the next instalment. This Championship continues to invigorate Test match cricket, and four of the nine competing nations have now reached a Final over the first three cycles,” Shah said in an ICC release.

“Bringing context for players and fans, as well as a high level of competitiveness, is key and the big turnout out at Lord’s – as well as the viewership levels across the globe – for the Final is testimony to the continued popularity of Test cricket. I would like to thank the Member Boards for their continued support of this exciting concept and wish the players all the very best as they begin their journey towards the next Final in 2027,” he added.

Beaten finalists Australia begin their bid to regain their WTC crown in the Caribbean as they take on West Indies in a three-Test series for the right to lift the Frank Worrell Trophy.

As per the previous cycles, nine teams will contest the WTC and each nation will play six other sides – three home and three away – over the course of the two-year period.

Australia play 11 matches at home – including an Ashes series against England later this year and four Tests against New Zealand – and the same number away.

England play 11 Tests on their own turf and 10 on the road, visiting beaten WTC Final 2025 finalists South Africa for a three-Test tour in December 2026.

India will play 18 matches in this cycle, split evenly home and away, with 2021 champions New Zealand playing in 16.

The points percentage system used in the previous two editions will determine the leaderboard with teams getting 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw.

–IANS

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