World Test Championship cycle remains unchanged despite fixture backlog: Report

As many as six bilateral Test series remain indefinitely postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The Test championship schedule has been affected by COVID-19 pandemic | GettyThe International Cricket Council (ICC) hasn't yet arrived at a solution for the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, which has had multiple bilateral series suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The nine-team league competition, however, remains on course to conclude with a final in June 2021 at Lord's, maintains the governing body, leaving greater uncertainty and speculation over the postponed fixtures. 

Read Also: ICC considering sharing points for suspended World Test Championship fixtures 

Amid reports of a shuffle in points system to decide the two finalists by next March, the ICC had last month said it is consulting a way forward with its full members. And, "there is nothing new to add to that," an ICC spokesman told Reuters, when queried for the latest update.

Pakistan head coach Misbah Ul Haq is among those who seek an extension to the cycle and thinks that is the only way the competition will have a fair end. 

“I’d still prefer to see the ICC complete the championship with all teams completing their scheduled matches,” Misbah had said in an interview on the 'Cricket Baaz' YouTube channel.

“I think the matches can be rescheduled and every team should get a fair chance to take a shot at qualifying for the final."

But the idea of extension, no matter how fair it seems, is not easy to execute, considering the ongoing cycle will then eat into a significant portion of the other. That is, until the ICC adds them both to account a collective four-year itinerary with the final itself shifted to 2023. 

"COVID has had a big impact on that around the efficacy of countries being able to play against each other," said Cricket Australia Chairman Earl Eddings, who want the first final to go ahead as planned next year. 

"But I certainly think for the growth of Test cricket we need to have something to aim for ... This gives everybody relevance and it gives us some context."

A clearer picture on the matter should emerge from the ICC board meeting later this month. 

(Inputs from Reuters)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 02 Nov, 2020

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