Explained: Why ICC keeps swiping right on England for WTC finals?
Ever noticed something strange? Every single World Test Championship final somehow always ends up in England. Like, why? Has the rest of the cricketing world run out of stadiums or something? Why don’t India—or any other country, for that matter—ever get a chance to host it?
And it’s not just about what’s already happened. The ICC has gone ahead and locked in the 2027, 2029, and 2031 finals for England too. At this point, it’s starting to feel like England is the official, unofficial home of the WTC final.
But there’s actually a solid logic behind it. June in England is tailor-made for Test cricket. You get mild sunshine, a cool breeze, and—unlike the rest of the world—a realistic shot at five full days without weather interruptions. Compare that to India, where June is flirting with monsoon season. One minute you’re watching a perfect cover drive, the next minute, rain covers are being dragged on. Total buzzkill.
Then there’s the matter of the pitches. Whether it’s Southampton, The Oval, or Lord’s, English grounds offer the kind of balance every Test match dreams of. No early Day 2 spin dramas, no dead-flat batting paradises. Just a fair contest between bat and ball. And it shows in the games we’ve seen. The 2021 final needed a sixth day thanks to rain. The 2023 one was a proper five-day grind. Even the most recent final, which wrapped up in four, delivered a proper battle till the end. That’s what you want when the stakes are this high.
And honestly, few places in the world show up for Test cricket the way England does. The crowds come in like it’s a music festival—even when the home team isn’t playing. That’s not about waving flags. That’s pure love for the game and the format.
So the next time you’re wondering, “Why England again?”, just remember—it’s not about recycling history. It’s about creating a standard. England isn’t just hosting the WTC final. It’s defining what a WTC final should look like.
