World Test Championship progress steady after COVID-19 break, states Geoff Allardice
While the future of World Test Championship looked in doubt, Geoff Allardice has cleared it admitting that the progress after COVID-19 has been steady as ‘planned’. He also added that the focus would be on the six postponed Test series and see when they might be replayed before Lord’s final.
The first edition of the World Test Championship was expected to be completed by March 2021, with the final set to be played in the month of June. During the course of a two-year-period, nine sides would take on each other in six series home and away.
However, owing to the pandemic, ICC’s plans have taken a backseat with six series postponed, owing to safety concerns. Whilst cricket did restart with England’s series against West Indies, which was part of the schedule for World Test Championship, the venues and future of the other series have been hanging on the thinnest of thread.
Offering a clarification on the immediate future of the lucrative Championship, ICC’s general manager cricket operations Geoff Allardice revealed that the tournament has been progressing steadily since its return. He also added that the ICC is now in touch with the members to reschedule all the lost series due to COVID-19 on a suitable later date.
"With the English summer looking like getting both the Test series through, the next ones I know there's been some talk in the media about West Indies v South Africa are looking to find a suitable time. But outside that series, the next scheduled ones are in late November in New Zealand. So, the focus will come back on the six postponed series and when they might be able to be replayed,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC's general manager cricket operations, said, reported ESPNCricinfo.
"We're in discussions with the members now with rescheduling of the series that have been postponed to date," he added.
Allardice also was quick to add that only the discussions are underway between the cricketing board and the respective cricket associations. While West Indies and England played the first of the Test series post-COVID-19, Pakistan are going to knock the doors next for a Test series.
"With some of them, discussions are underway but we're in the process of getting updates from all member countries as to what they're looking at. At the moment, everything is proceeding as planned. The series on in England right now are part of the WTC and all of the series that have been identified will be part of the Championships. It's about getting a feel for whether they can all be completed within the competition window ending in March next year."