The inaugural edition of ICC World Test Championship, after testing nine teams over two years, has reached its final stage. It started on August 1, 2019, with the Ashes and will finish when India faces New Zealand in the final at Southampton begining on June 18. 

 In the 71 matches across 27 series, played over two years, the WTC witnessed the nine teams gruel day and night to showcase quality cricket. Thrill, passion, persistence and determination – the Championship has seen it all.

Here are the top 3 matches of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship:

1) England vs Australia, Headingly (2019)

Ashes 2019 was marked by high-tempo thrill and drama. From Steve Smith and David Warner’s return in the whites, Marcus Labuschagne’s emergence to Jofra Archer’s stinging bouncers, the five-match series presented a tough contest between the teams. Australia managed to retain the Ashes after the series finished in a 2-2 draw.

One defining moment for England in the Ashes 2019 was when Ben Stokes drove a full ball through the covers to seal a one-wicket win at Headingly. Australia, after scoring 179 runs in the first innings, bowled out England for 67. Tim Paine’s team batted for 75 overs in the second innings, leaving Joe Root and company with a whopping 359-run target to chase. 

England were 15/2 in the run chase and lost half their side with 245 runs on the board. With 73 runs required, nine wickets down and the Australian pacers going ruthless, no one could have thought that Ben Stokes (135*) and Jack Leach (1*) were going to pull off the chase. But the duo battled 62 deliveries and stitched a 76-run partnerships for the 10th wicket to script one of the best chases in Test match history. 

2) India vs Australia, Gabba (2021)

A fortress was breached, 32 years of Australian dominance at Gabba was ended when a young Indian team, battling injuries and immense pressure, defeated Australia by three wickets in Brisbane. The likes of Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah weren’t a part of the team that stunned Australia in the decider of the Border-Gavaskar series. 

After sending off the Aussie openers for cheap, the Indian bowlers stumbled upon the brilliance of Marnus Labuschange. The Brisbane Heat batsman scored a patient 108 runs and skipper Tim Paine got a half-century as Australia posted a 369 first-innings total. In reply, India lost six wickets with 186 runs on board, no batsman getting a half-century at the top. Just when the visitors found their back against the wall, Shardul Thakur (67) and Washington Sundar (62) counter-attacked and helped India reach a respectable 336. It was Mohammad Siraj’s fifer that was the highlight of India’s bowling in the second innings. 

However, India still to chase 329 runs. Shubhman Gill (91) laid the foundation and Cheteshwar Pujara (56) showed some resistance. But it was Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 89 that carried India over the line. India breached the Gabbiator and Pant did it with a straight four. 

3) Bangladesh vs West Indies, Chattogram (2021)

Only seven batsmen have scored a double hundred on their Test debut, and only one has achieved the feat in the fourth innings of the match. West Indies’ Kyle Mayers scored a stunning 210* to guide the team to a victory at Chattogram. 

West Indies were never really a competition as the Bangladeshi batsmen posted a 430-run total in the first innings and then bowled the Windies out for 259 runs. Mominul’s 115 run knock meant West Indies needed 395 runs in the final innings.

However, Kyle Mayers (210*) and Nkrumah Bonner (86) played a combined 555 balls, exhausted the hosts and completed the chase with three wickets remaining. Kriag Braithwaite’s men scripted the highest run chase on Asian soil.