Amid the joy of New Zealand’s underdog triumph in 2021 and Australia’s two-year cycle triumph, few achievements loom as large as Temba Bavuma ripping the WTC mace from Australian hands at Lord’s. The Proteas’ first Black captain seized the moment with such a ferocity that serial champions Australia were reduced to pleading for the last of their three reviews, desperately trying to rustle a fly in the Proteas’ wings, as they lost an ICC final for the fourth time in 14 chances.
For all that a WTC final can still sparkle in isolation, as a single series win or a global ranking can do (currently, the world’s best team are South Africa ahead of England), it’s more than just a trophy battle. It is the embodiment of the ecstasy and agony of high-stakes cricket, the journey that saw nine teams whittled down to two.
It is also an imperfect circle. Aside from the aforementioned tack-on, Wisden’s Lawrence Booth recently slammed an ICC system that “feels like it was designed on the back of a cigarette packet”. The more a relatively strong Test side is forced to compete in a series against lower-ranked nations for a spot in the final, the more the precious points-per-Test ratio gets watered down.
Nevertheless, the WTC final has a vital role to play in enhancing the context of bilateral Test series beyond their established rivalries. It provides the apex of Test match cricket with the same status as a World Cup final does in ODIs and T20Is.