The ICC has also made provision for a reserve day for the title bout if the weather fails.
We worked very closely with the local organizing committee (ECB) to provide the fans with a great spectacle. We expect full halls for at least the first four days. We know we are headed in the right direction.
It’s generated a lot of interest from the fans, and with two of the best teams in the world battling each other, it’s going to be a fantastic event.
We hope the weather stays clear and we can hold all the cricket, although we have a reserve day to make up for lost time, Waseem Khan, ICC Cricket General Manager, told reporters.
The inaugural final also included India, who finished second two years ago in Southampton, losing to New Zealand.
When asked why the game was being held in the UK for the second time in a row, Wasim said the venue fit well with the finals schedule. The Oval also serves as a neutral site for both teams.
The way the WTC cycle is set up, we play in the northern hemisphere in the summer. We look for a variety of match venues, currently in England it is. Lords was considered, but the decision was made in favor of the Oval.
In terms of hosting the biennial finals, Great Britain is very suitable for the tournament because it’s very much in the northern hemisphere, he said.
The WTC structure continues as
In the two-year WTC cycle, each team plays six series, three at home and three away.
Wasim said the existing structure works well for five-day competitions in that format.
This is something we look at all the time. For now, it continues to work the way it is. We’ve made some minor changes to the playing conditions, there won’t be a soft signal, but the actual structure of the two-year cycle is constantly being reviewed by the members.
We take their opinions into consideration before we move on to next year, but the great news is the WTC is signed on for the next eight years, at least, he said, referring to the robust future of competition, at least until 2031.
Wasim added that the improved quality of cricket has sparked more interest in the longest form of the game.
We have really moved forward with this second edition. 69 match.The fact that there is a huge amount of positive cricket and people are trying to get results, because the ultimate goal is to get to the finals, tells us.
We have seen England change their approach to the game of Test cricket and that bodes well for the future. I think the overall quality of cricket is evident for all to see, and the top two teams made it to the final.