The launch of the World Take a look at Championship (WTC) by the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) to advertise Take a look at cricket turned out to be an ideal transfer because the occasion attracted big viewership from all around the world, and curiosity on this format of the sport was re-established amongst cricket fanatics.

Notably, the WTC is carried out in a two-year cycle, with groups from completely different nations competing within the match to accumulate the highest two spots. They’ll then lock horns within the last for the coveted Take a look at mace.

The occasion commenced for the primary time in 2019 and has to this point undergone two profitable cycles. Whereas New Zealand received the inaugural version of WTC, the latest WTC 2021-23 noticed Australia emerge victorious and raise the trophy by defeating India. In the meantime, the schedule for the third cycle of WTC (2023-25) has additionally been introduced by the ICC. Nevertheless, former India opener turned cricket commentator Aakash Chopra will not be thrilled with the fixtures of the upcoming occasion.

Assessing the WTC 2023-25 schedule on his official YouTube channel, Aakash slammed ICC over no India-Pakistan match within the Championship. He additional acknowledged that one couldn’t even think about a global occasion with out the India versus Pakistan battle.

“You don’t play in opposition to all groups. However that is WTC, it’s an ICC occasion. It has been 4 years now… are you able to think about an ICC occasion with out India vs Pakistan? This could by no means occur. It’s at all times in the beginning of the match so it will get off to an ideal begin commercially. It will get the best score and folks generate income,” stated Aakash.

“So, is WTC not an ICC occasion? It’s an ICC mace, they host the ultimate. So, all of the matches that happen within the cycle must be within the purview of the ICC. Will probably be 6 years, and also you didn’t have a single India-Pakistan sequence. That is additionally an ICC occasion. If it’s not, make it clear. Name it bilateral cricket and settle for that you’ve made WTC simply to glamorize Checks,” he added.

It’s value mentioning that arch-rivals India and Pakistan haven’t performed any Take a look at in opposition to one another since 2007 as a consequence of political stress between the 2 nations. The 2 sides have additionally not competed in any bilateral sequence after 2012-13 and solely face one another in ICC and ACC occasions.