Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship :
- The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won.
- New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2021
Statement 1: The finalists for the inaugural WTC (2019-2021) were decided based on the percentage of points earned from matches played, not simply by the number of matches won. This system was implemented due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the schedule, where not all teams could play the same number of series or matches. Thus, Statement 1 is not correct.
Statement 2: New Zealand was ranked ahead of England in the 2019-2021 WTC cycle based on the percentage of points, not because they won more matches. In fact, England won 12 matches compared to New Zealand’s 7 matches in the cycle. New Zealand finished second with 70.0% points, while England finished fourth with 61.4%. Thus, Statement 2 is not correct.
Based on the analysis, neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct. Therefore, the correct option is D.
– New Zealand ranked higher than England in the 2019-2021 WTC cycle despite winning fewer matches.