Skip to content
ContentLora

    Tip: press / anywhere to search.

    Explainer

    How cricket formats and the World Test Championship work

    International cricket is played in three formats: five-day Tests, 50-over One-Day Internationals and 20-over T20 Internationals.[1][2][3][4] Only Tests count towards the ICC World Test Championship, a two-year league of nine teams that ranks sides by percentage of points won; the top two meet in a final.[5][6]

    Editor reviewedUpdated ExplainerSports

    India and West Indies are playing ODIs and T20Is in October 2026, not Tests.[7] This guide explains how the three international formats differ and how the World Test Championship (WTC) turns Test series into a league table. Live results are in the India vs West Indies series tracker.

    The three formats

    There are three kinds of international match.[1]

    • Test matches last up to five days, and each team bats twice.[2]
    • One-Day Internationals (ODIs) give each team one innings of 50 overs, and the Cricket World Cup uses this format.[3]
    • Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) give each team 20 overs and usually finish in about three hours.[4]

    The ICC dates Test cricket to 1877, ODIs to 1971 and T20Is to 2005.[2][3][4] Twelve ICC members hold Test status, which also gives them ODI and T20I status.[8] Only Test series feed the WTC.[5]

    How the World Test Championship works

    The WTC is a two-year competition for Test teams. Nine teams each play six series, three at home and three away. The two teams at the top of the table at the end play a final.[5] A win earns 12 points, a tie 6 and a draw 4.[6]

    Teams play different numbers of Tests, so the table ranks them by percentage of points won rather than total points. This lets their relative performance be compared at any time.[6] The 2025-27 cycle began on 17 June 2025, after South Africa won the 2025 final.[9] Each team plays six of the other eight sides.[5]

    The 2025-27 standings (as of 7 October 2026)

    TeamTestsWinsPoints %
    Australia (1st)10880.00[10]
    India (5th)11551.52[11]
    West Indies (8th)12220.83[12]

    India were fifth after a 0-2 home defeat to South Africa. Their remaining series are two Tests in New Zealand and five at home to Australia.[11][13] West Indies, whose Test side the ICC describes as rebuilding under Roston Chase, have only a two-Test series in Bangladesh left.[12][14]

    Why the formats have different captains

    Squads and captains can differ by format. In the 2026 series, Shubman Gill led India in the ODIs and Shreyas Iyer in the T20Is, while Shai Hope led West Indies in both.[15][16] Hope does not captain the West Indies Test side, which is led by Roston Chase.[14]

    Next in the crash course

    More in Sports

    Questions readers ask

    What are the three formats of international cricket?

    Test matches, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), all played under rules approved by the ICC.[1]

    How long does a Test match last?

    Up to five days. Each side bats twice.[2]

    What is the difference between an ODI and a T20I?

    An ODI gives each side one innings of 50 overs; a T20I gives each side 20 overs and usually lasts about three hours.[3][4]

    How are World Test Championship points awarded?

    Twelve points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw. Teams are ranked by the percentage of available points they have won.[6]

    Who leads the 2025-27 World Test Championship?

    As of 7 October 2026, Australia led with eight wins from 10 Tests and 80% of points.[10]

    Does the India vs West Indies 2026 series count for the WTC?

    No. The October 2026 tour is ODIs and T20Is only, and only Tests count.[7]

    Sources

    · 16 claims from 2 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      International cricket has three formats - Test matches, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals - played under rules approved by the ICC. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      Test cricket, played since 1877, has settled into a five-day format with two innings per side. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      ODIs, which began in 1971, are one-innings matches of 50 overs per side, and the Cricket World Cup is played in this format every four years. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    4. [4]

      Twenty20 Internationals, introduced in 2005, have 20 overs per side and usually last about three hours. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    5. [5]

      In each World Test Championship cycle, nine teams each play six series over two years, three at home and three away, and the top two meet in the final. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    6. [6]

      In the 2025-27 WTC, teams get 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw, and are ranked by the percentage of available points they have won. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      West Indies' 2026 tour of India is a white-ball tour (three ODIs and five T20Is) with no Test matches, so it carries no World Test Championship points. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    8. [8]

      Twelve ICC members have Test status, which also gives them ODI and T20I status. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      South Africa won the 2025 World Test Championship final, and the 2025-27 cycle began on 17 June 2025. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    10. [10]

      As of 7 October 2026, Australia led the 2025-27 WTC standings with eight wins from 10 Tests (80% of points). confirmedas of 2026-10-07

    11. [11]

      As of 7 October 2026, India were fifth in the WTC standings with five wins from 11 Tests and 51.52% of points, after a 0-2 home series defeat to South Africa; their remaining series are two Tests in New Zealand and five at home to Australia. confirmedas of 2026-10-07

    12. [12]

      As of 7 October 2026, West Indies were eighth of nine in the WTC standings with two wins from 12 Tests and 20.83% of points, with only a two-Test series in Bangladesh left. confirmedas of 2026-10-07

    13. [13]

      India's next Test assignment is a two-match WTC series in New Zealand. confirmedas of 2026-10-10

    14. [14]

      The ICC described West Indies' Test side as rebuilding under captain Roston Chase. confirmedas of 2026-10-07

    15. [15]

      India captain Shubman Gill made 223 not out off 133 balls in the second ODI, reaching his double-century off 117 balls, the fastest in ODI history. confirmedas of 2026-09-30

    16. [16]

      Shreyas Iyer captains India in the T20Is with a different squad from the ODI leg, while Shai Hope captains West Indies. confirmedas of 2026-10-06

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "How cricket formats and the World Test Championship work." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/how-cricket-formats-and-wtc-work

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

    ☰ Contents