How COVID helped OZ to dethrone team India in World Test C'ship (points table)

Dubai:The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday confirmed the ICC World Test Championship points system will be amended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the new system, Australia has leapfrogged India to claim the top position.

The Board approved a recommendation from the ICC Cricket Committee, headed by Anil Kumble, to change the competition terms for the event to determine how series affected by the global pandemic is accounted for on the points table.

"The unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19 means, to date, just under half of the World Test Championship matches have been played, with that estimated to rise to more than 85 percent by the end of the competition window," ICC said in a release. 

"Current regulations dictate that matches not completed shall be treated as a draw with points split. The Cricket Committee considered maintaining that status quo or determining the final World Test Championship League standings from matches played."

ICYMI: An altered points system was announced for the World Test Championship following an ICC board meeting yesterday.

The team positions will now be determined by the percentage of points earned

Updated #WTC21 standings pic.twitter.com/WJmBfeDhxI

— ICC (@ICC) November 20, 2020

"Both the Cricket Committee and Chief Executives Committee supported the approach of ranking teams based on completed matches and points earned as this reflects their performance and doesn't disadvantage teams that have been unable to compete all of their matches through no fault of their own," ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said. 

"We explored a whole range of options, but our Members felt strongly that we should proceed as planned with the first ever World Test Championship Final in June next year."

The Board also confirmed that the ICC Women's T20 World Cup will move from its current slot at the end of 2022 to 9-26 February 2023.(UNI)