ICC mulls splitting points of postponed WTC matches

Aiming to complete the World Test Championship cycle and host the final in June as per schedule, the ICC is contemplating splitting points for all WTC bilateral series that had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The matter is likely to come up for discussion at its Cricket Committee meeting next month, ESPNCricinfo reported. Bangladesh's has seen a total of four series postponed apart from one Test and an ODI against Pakistan.

"This is one option which has been discussed but everything will be decided in the next month's ICC meeting," said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury.

According to the website, while one of the options is splitting points, the other feasible option could be considering the points for only those matches that will actually be played by the end of March, 2021.

Based on those matches till March, the final positions on the points table could be computed based on the percentage of points the teams have won from the matches that they have contested.

As of now, each series carries 120 points and points are distributed among the number of matches.  The points split system that they are mulling will be distributing one third of the total points for the postponed series.

"Splitting the points would be within the regulations as they stand, whereby all Tests in the cycle that can't be played (through no fault of either side) are deemed draws. In that scenario, both sides receive a third of the points available for a Test. Basing it on percentages of points played for would require a tweak to existing regulations," the website wrote.