If The WTC Final Ends in a Draw...
The cricket world is buzzing as Australia and South Africa gear up for the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's. But an awkward question keeps cropping up: what if this much-anticipated match doesn't produce a winner? It's not as rare as you think—rain, bad light, or dogged defense can easily stall things, especially at Lord's where unpredictable weather has a habit of crashing the party.
So, here's the deal. The World Test Championship rules are pretty straightforward—but they break from the tension-filled playoffs we see elsewhere. If this final doesn't yield a winner, either from a draw or both teams ending with the same score (yes, a tie is possible, though super rare), then both squads just walk off as joint champions. The famous WTC mace isn’t divided down the middle or sent back to the workshop. Instead, both Australia and South Africa would hoist it together, with captains Pat Cummins and Temba Bavuma sharing the spotlight.
The format doesn't offer a Super Over, a golden ball, or any dramatic tie-breaker. Since the WTC started in 2021, ICC has kept this 'joint winner' rule firmly in place. It’s a stark contrast to limited-overs cricket, where nail-biting deciders are the norm. Here, if five days don't separate the teams, both get a place in history—and perhaps bragging rights only slightly dulled by having to share the glory.
No Winner, But What About the Prize?
The money in play is huge. The winner usually collects a whopping $3.6 million, while runners-up get $2.16 million. But what happens when both teams finish on equal terms? The ICC hasn’t really clarified if they slice the total pot in half or split the winner’s cheque. The players and fans alike will be watching ICC’s announcement with interest if it comes to that scenario.
This ‘single final’ format keeps things compact—one match and you’re done. Some experts and fans wish for a best-of-three series to settle things more decisively, especially after two years of intense cricket to even reach the final. But so far, the ICC remains unmoved. Logistically, a multi-match final sounds nice in theory but bringing that to life is a whole other challenge.
Can Lord's deliver a clear winner? On paper, both sides have fire-breathing pace attacks that can turn any game on its head. Yet, bad weather has interrupted plenty of classics here, and no one can predict England’s summer skies. If the rain gods decide to crash the finale, don’t be surprised if holders and pretenders find themselves equally anointed as Test kings.
