New Delhi [India], May 15: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a record prize pool of USD $5.76 million for the 2023–25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s next month.
The winner of the one-off final will receive a whopping $3.6 million, while the runner-up will take home $2.16 million—a sharp increase from the previous cycles where the winning team earned $1.6 million and the runners-up took $800,000.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah stated,
“The increased prize money highlights our commitment to Test cricket. The 2023-25 cycle has been thrilling, and we look forward to a grand finale between two top teams.”
30-Day Countdown Begins
To mark the 30-day countdown, the ICC launched an action-packed promotional video featuring current stars like Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, Steve Smith, and Travis Head, alongside legends such as Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Matthew Hayden, Mel Jones, Nasser Hussain, Shoaib Akhtar, and Ravi Shastri.
Path to the Final
- South Africa topped the WTC standings with wins over Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and a drawn series against India, securing their maiden WTC final appearance.
- Australia, the defending champions, booked their spot with a 3-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy win over India, a 3-0 sweep of Pakistan, and away series wins against New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
Captains Speak
South African skipper Temba Bavuma said,
“Reaching the WTC Final is a proud moment. Lord’s is a special venue, and we aim to clinch an ICC title with everything we’ve got.”
Australian captain Pat Cummins expressed pride,
“It’s a huge honour to be in the final again, especially at Lord’s. We’re looking forward to a great contest with South Africa and the chance to retain our title.”
The WTC Final is scheduled for June 11 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, promising an electrifying clash in the longest and most prestigious format of the game.