World Test Championship is the ICC’s tournament for the best teams in the longest format of the game. It lasts two years and sees nine of the game’s leading test-playing nations compete in a series of bilateral Test matches. Each series consists of three to five Tests and the team that wins the most matches earns a berth in the final. Each match in a Test series is worth points (12, six, or four), with penalties for slow over rates. The point system was introduced by the ICC as a way to add context to bilateral Test cricket and encourage the playing nations to focus on building stronger Test squads.
In 2025, South Africa ended a 27-year hoodoo and triumphed over modern Goliaths Australia to win the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. The win marked a historic achievement for the Proteas and earned them the respect of the entire cricketing world, whose billions paid their tributes on social media.
The final of the ICC World Test Championship was held on Sunday at Lord’s between current holders Australia and South Africa. The iconic venue replaces the Rose Bowl in Southampton and the Oval in London, which hosted the previous two WTC finals.
Defending champions Australia were tipped to win the final and they did not disappoint, thrashing South Africa by an innings and 217 runs. However, the Proteas fought back hard to level the scores and clinched victory in a gripping finish. The result pushed the Temba Bavuma-led side to the top of the ICC Test Rankings.