The World Test Championship has a simple aim: to add context to bilateral test matches by ranking teams by their performance over the course of an event. It is a logical extension of the role played by the World Cup final in the one-day and T20I formats.

This edition of the competition was contested by the top nine ranked test nations (as of 4 August 2025): Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Three full members of the ICC, Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe did not participate.

Unlike the Champions Trophy, which was a one-off event, the WTC is scheduled to take place in every two-year cycle. The final is usually held in England, for a number of reasons: the tournament ends in June, which is early summer in England, and winter or monsoon season in most other countries; it has been staged there in both previous cycles; it is a country with good infrastructure and large crowds; and its time zone aligns well with prime viewing hours in India.

Temba Bavuma lifts the mace at Lord’s, a moment of great significance for South Africa. They have beaten the best team in the world, done it when it mattered and beaten them at their own game. They have erased the memory of defeats at home and on the continent, vanquished the ghosts of the past 30 years. They have become the nation’s greatest team, led by a first Black captain in Siya Kolisi.