India set to launch formal bid for 2027 World Test Championship final; Indo-Pak tensions complicate logistics: Report
A report stated that the BCCI made the ICC aware of their intention to lodge a proposal to host the 2027 WTC final, while at a recent ICC meeting in Zimbabwe.
The BCCI is set to make a formal proposal to the ICC for the hosting rights of the World Test Championship finals in 2027, in doing so aiming to become the first country other than England to host the WTC finals.
As per a report in The Guardian, the BCCI hopes to acquire hosting rights for the marquee Test event, which will be its fourth cycle since inception. The first two finals were held at the Rose Bowl in Southampton and the Oval in London, with India losing both to New Zealand and Australia respectively. The third final will be played between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s in June this year.
The report states that India made its desire to be a host for the subsequent finals clear during the ICC’s meeting of chief executives committee in Zimbabwe earlier this year, with a formal bid set to be launched this summer. England has long stood as a leading candidate due to a multitude of reasons, including the ability to draw large crowds to Test matches even if it involves neutral parties, as well as the calendar fitting in nicely with the start of the international cricket season in the country.
The Guardian also noted some standing concerns with an Indian bid, such as its ability to draw a crowd for a neutral contest if India are unable to qualify for a third final in four years. Ticket sales are a major draw for the ICC in this matter, with the upcoming final at Lord’s having already sold out tickets for the first four days of the match, beginning on June 11.
Indo-Pak crisis adds concern for Indian WTC bid
More pertinently, the report noted the strained relationships between India and Pakistan as a sticking point. The recent escalations in tension stemming from the terror attack in Pahalgam and the subsequent military response notwithstanding, the two cricket boards already have a frictional diplomatic standing in the wake of India’s refusal to participate in the recent ICC Champions Trophy on Pakistan soil.
With the PCB, BCCI, and ICC reaching an agreement regarding all India-Pakistan matches through to the end of 2027 being played at neutral venues, the possibility of Pakistan qualifying for the WTC final complicates India’s bid. A contingency is likely to be baked into the proposal, such as an alternative venue.
Options for likely venues were not discussed in the report, but the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai are likely to be frontrunners for the final. India will travel to England to kick off the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, with a five-match series beginning on June 20.
