ICC doubles prize money for World Test Championship 2023-25

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a significant boost in prize money for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023–25 Final, reaffirming its commitment to promoting the longest format of the game.

A high-impact promotional video featuring legendary cricketers from past and present generations was released to build excitement for the “Ultimate Test.”

The total prize pool for the WTC final stands at USD $5.76 million—double the amount awarded in the previous two editions. The winning team of the final, scheduled to take place at Lord’s from June 11–15 between Australia and South Africa, will receive a record $3.6 million. This is twice the amount earned by previous champions New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023), who each received $1.6 million.

The runners-up are also set to benefit from the increased stakes, with the second-place prize exceeding $2.1 million—more than double the $800,000 awarded in earlier finals.

This substantial increase in prize money underscores the ICC’s initiative to elevate the profile of Test cricket and build long-term momentum for the WTC across its nine competing teams.

In the current edition, South Africa secured their spot in the final by winning home series 2-0 against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan, finishing with a percentage of 69.44. Defending champions Australia followed closely with 67.54 points, while India, who topped the table for most of the competition, ended with 50.00 points.

Commenting on the achievement, Australian captain Pat Cummins said,

“We are incredibly proud to have had the opportunity to defend the World Test Championship, especially at Lord’s. It is a testament to everyone involved over the last two years who have worked incredibly hard to reach the final, which is a huge honour for us all.”

The final at Lord’s promises to be a thrilling contest as the world’s top Test sides battle for the prestigious title—and now, for the biggest prize in the tournament’s history.