World Test Championship: ICC announces prize money for the tournament

World Test Championship: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the prize pot for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 cycle winners with a total purse of USD 3.8 million to be shared between the nine teams.

Australia and India will meet in the Ultimate Test at The Oval in London from 7 June with the triumphant team set to take home more than just the WTC mace. The No.1 and No.2 ranked sides in the ICC Test Team rankings will play each other in the marquee WTC final at The Oval in England with neither team enjoying a particularly good record at the venue.

"The winners of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final will take home a whopping prize of USD 1.6 million (INR 13.23 crore) while the runners-up will pocket USD 800,000 (INR 6.61 crore)," ICC said in an official statement.

There is no change in the tournament prize money, which remains the same as that for the inaugural edition of the championship (2019-21) with a total purse of $3.8 million.

The Kane Williamson-led New Zealand side were rewarded with $1.6 million besides the glittering Mace in Southampton two years ago courtesy of an eight-wicket win over India in the six-day final.

All nine ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 participants will get a share in the $3.8 million purse. South Africa have earned $450,000 by finishing third in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 standings.

England who made a late resurgence in the two-year cycle with an aggressive playing style, ended up fourth on the table - a reward of $350,000.

Sri Lanka, who were in the running for a place in the final before their series defeat in New Zealand, dropped down to the fifth spot. Their prize money share is $200,000.

The remaining teams New Zealand (No.6), Pakistan (No.7), West Indies (No.8), and Bangladesh (No.9) will be rewarded with a sum of $100,000 each.