Lord's announced as the venue for the WTC finals of 2023 and 2025

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the iconic Lord’s stadium as the venue for the World Test Championship finals in 2023 and 2025. The decision was made public on Tuesday (July 26) after ICC’s AGM was concluded on the day in Birmingham.

The inaugural World Test Championship final was held at the Ageas Bowl in 2021 between New Zealand and India. New Zealand triumphed in the final, which was originally scheduled to be played at the Lord’s but due to the Covid-19 restrictions in place in the country at that time, it was moved to Southampton. Nine Full Members play six series each – three home and three away, as part of the WTC, which runs over a two-year cycle.

Earlier this season, ICC chairman Greg Barclay, in a chat with BBC’s Test Match Special, had indicated the possibility of Lord’s hosting both the finals since the fixtures are scheduled for June when England are busy with the County Championship seasons.

“It’s June so that rules out a number of other venues and we’ve got to get certainty around where it’s hosted. We’re out of Covid now so subject to arrangements being made and being able to be hosted out of Lord’s, I think that’s the intention,” Barclay had said

Laxman and Vettori were appointed as current player representatives in the ICC committee

Meanwhile, the ICC also announced the appointment of Indian batting great VVS Laxman and Kiwi icon Daniel Vettori as current player representatives. Laxman, who also heads the National Cricket Academy in India, was recently seen donning the coaching role for the Indian team in their two-match T20I series in Ireland in the absence of Rahul Dravid.

Meanwhile, former West Indies all-rounder Roger Harper will be joining Sri Lankan batting great Mahela Jayawardene after being appointed to the committee as a past player representative.

“Daniel Vettori and VVS Laxman have also been appointed to the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee as current player representatives, while Roger Harper has been appointed as the second past player representative, joining Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena,” said the ICC in its statement on its Annual Conference in Birmingham.