World Test Championship: India to open campaign against Windies

India will play their opening match of the World Test Championship against West Indies in the Caribbean in July 2019.

According to the Future Tours Program (FTP) document released by International Cricket Council (ICC), nine top-ranked sides would participate in the inaugural edition of the event, which will run from July 15, 2019, to April 30, 2021. The teams will play six series in the two-year cycle on a home and away basis against opponents they have mutually selected. The two top-ranked sides will then progress to the June 2021 final to decide the World Test champions.

In addition, the 12 Test playing nations and the Netherlands, will participate in the 13-team ODI League, which will run from May 1 2020 to March 31 2022. All the sides will play eight series over a two-year cycle on a home and away basis against mutually agreed opponents.

The ODI league will act as a qualification pathway for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

India, a host for 2023 World cup, plus the seven highest-ranked sides in the ODI league as on March 31, 2022, will qualify directly for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Bottom five sides, on the other hand, will get a second chance to qualify through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

"The World Test Championship will get underway next year with the ODI league kicking off in 2020 as part of the qualification towards the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023," ICC CEO David Richardson said.

As part of the agreed international cricket structure, the ICC board has already approved an additional ICC World T20 in place of the ICC Champions Trophy as well as giving Twenty20 international status to all 104 Members.