The World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand at Hampshire Bowl has been marred by poor weather conditions and bad lighting. Day 1 and Day 4 of the final ended without having a ball bowled due to rains. The other three days also had rain delays and an early close of play due to bad light. In the last few days, the ICC has been subject to criticism for choosing England as the host nation for the final.

So why did the International Cricket Council (ICC) choose England for the final? 

When the tournament was launched in 2019, the board members all agreed to have the final in England. One of the reasons why England was chosen to host was because June is a peak cricketing season in the country. It was also down to the fact that the options away from England were limited.

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Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen had tweeted that Dubai should have hosted the match. But it was not a practical option because of its heat. Playing in temperature around 40-degree Celsius would have been a hostile playing condition for the players. 

With the winter season in Australia and South Africa during this time, and a considerable difference in the time zone in the West Indies, playing in England during summer was one of the few options left.

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Why Hampshire Bowl, Southampton?

The WTC final was initially planned to be played at Lord’s. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine restrictions in the UK, ICC decided that Southampton would host the final. Southampton has on-site facilities, including hotels that help to maintain a bio-secure bubble, while also being close to the facilities for practice and training.