As anticipation builds for the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, one question looms large — what happens if the match ends in a draw or is affected by rain?
Despite the firepower in both teams’ bowling attacks, unpredictable English weather could force a stalemate. So, if the WTC final does end in a draw, Australia and South Africa will be declared joint winners, and captains Pat Cummins and Temba Bavuma will share the coveted Test mace.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to stick with the one-off final format, despite calls for a best-of-three showdown to fairly determine a winner after a two-year-long WTC cycle. In the event of a draw, no additional matches will be played, and both finalists will share the honours.
To reduce the chances of weather affecting the outcome, the ICC has allotted a reserve day — a sixth day — for the WTC final. This extra day will only be used if time is lost due to bad weather during the initial five days and a result isn’t reached. This approach was successfully applied in the 2021 WTC final between India and New Zealand, where the reserve day ensured a decisive finish.
So yes, rain can force a draw — but the ICC has built in a backup plan to help ensure a fair result. However, if even the reserve day doesn’t bring closure, the WTC mace will be shared.
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