Which Three New Teams Will Join the WTC in 2027?

To​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ bring back the essence and significance of bilateral Test cricket, the ICC decided to bring the World Test Championship (WTC) to life in 2019. The WTC changed the way the respective series, which were played independently and for no global competition, were now considered as competitive, in which each match counted for the race towards the world title.

Points are given according to the outcomes of matches, i.e., a win, a draw, or a tie, while the ranking is determined by the percentage of points won instead of the total ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌points. Currently, it's Australia who are leading the points table with three back-to-back wins. However, things are going to get interesting and complicated as well. WTC new teams are going to be added from the next edition.

Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland To Become WTC New Teams

In​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ a significant turn of events, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has planned a two-tier Test structure altogether and will go on to include all 12 full-member nations in the WTC cycle. According to reports, for the 2027–29 cycle, the WTC teams will be Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland, in addition to the other nine Test-playing nations. It will be interesting to see how the new World Test Championship teams will perform against big opponents like India, Australia, and England.

When the WTC started, these three countries were not a part due to issues related to time and the level of competition. Nevertheless, the ICC's recent decision is being referred to as a significant move in the direction of inclusiveness. Both Afghanistan and Ireland, which got their Test status in 2017, have continued their development, whereas Zimbabwe, which was one of the best cricket teams in the world at one time, is seeking a way to regain its stability.

The inclusion of these teams guarantees that every full-member nation will have an equal opportunity to get the points, move up the rankings, and go for the championship. Moreover, it encourages boards to spend more on red-ball facilities and the training of players for the WTC. As a result, the tournament will get to witness some of the best cricketers in the world in this cycle.

What This Means for Global Test Cricket?

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ WTC's expansion is a signal of a wider ICC initiative to bring back life to Test cricket. Nevertheless, there are still some issues that the boards might face in the upcoming times. Small boards may be affected by the limitations of logistics and finances, and it will be difficult to schedule a fair rotation among 12 teams. However, this scheme, with more ICC money and bilateral agreements, might turn into a good and worldwide attractive Test ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌environment.

This will be an interesting setup as the fans will get to see their favorite teams fight more for that WTC trophy. As of now, Australia have won twice while New Zealand and South Africa have won once. With more teams joining the WTC cycle, the competition will be fierce and thrilling at the same time. Moreover, the quantity of Test matches will be more, giving the hardcore cricket fans a chance to watch the sport more.