Day: August 16, 2025

As a concept, the World Test Championship is a good idea. Spanning two-year cycles, the ICC’s newest competition aims to add context and excitement to the game’s longest format. It also aims to ensure that top teams play each other more often, something the sport needs more than it’s had in recent times.

But the way it’s been executed is far from ideal. While it’s not as skewed as some have suggested, it still favours the traditional big three. That’s because teams don’t have to play each other over a full round-robin, and series are confined to two Tests, which is not commercially viable for countries struggling to balance their international schedules.

Last November, New Zealand ended 12 years of Indian home dominance, storming the spin-heavy citadel for a 3-0 victory. The Proteas’ 69-run win in the 2025 final, courtesy of Aiden Markram’s outstanding hundred and Temba Bavuma’s crucial fifty, was no less remarkable. It ended a string of tournament heartache for the Proteas, most notably at the one-day and T20 World Cups.

The next three WTC finals will be staged in England – a decision made at the ICC’s annual conference in Singapore. It rewarded the English and Wales Cricket Board for its “successful track record in hosting recent finals”. India had reportedly hoped to host the 2027 showpiece, but the ECB said they were “absolutely delighted” to be chosen again.

Join athletes from across the continent as they converge in the heart of Japan for a thrilling display of athletic prowess. From the precision of martial arts to the speed of track and field, 2026 Asian Games will be an unforgettable journey of competition and camaraderie.

The Asian Games are the biggest sports events in Asia, fostering friendship through sport and contributing to world peace. The first Asian Games were held in 1951, shortly after the end of World War II. The Games are a unique opportunity for nations of Asia to come together and share their cultures and values.

The Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, 2026, in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, with 40 events and 15,000 athletes and team officials from 45 countries and regions. The 2026 Games will be the third time that Japan has hosted the Asian Games, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.

The Games will feature a new format, where athletes will stay on a cruise ship instead of at the traditional Games Village. This ‘floating village’ will be equipped with all the facilities that athletes are used to at Games Villages, including dining halls and gymnasiums. The Games will be held during typhoon season, which makes this unique arrangement even more crucial. The organizers have also been working on a contingency plan for evacuating athletes in the event of a tsunami or typhoon. The Olympic Council of Asia has agreed to this plan and is considering whether to adopt it for future editions.