The ICC Take a look at Mace instituted in 2003 was awarded to the No. 1 Take a look at group in response to the rankings and rewarded long-term consistency reasonably than occasional wins. The World Take a look at Championship ushered within the league system figuring out the winner of the award capped by a title-deciding closing and altering the award foundation.
How Was the Take a look at Mace Awarded Earlier than 2019?
Based on ICC Rankings: The Take a look at Mace has been held by the No. 1-ranked group as of April 1st yearly from 2003 (together with retrospective rankings) to 2019. Along with the mace, the group that was highest within the rankings had additionally been awarded some money from the ICC.
The factors system had been primarily based on victories, attracts, opposition power, and match circumstances in current 3-4 years. If any new group comes on high of the rankings through the course of a season, the mace does alternate homeowners briefly, however the official title holder for that 12 months would stay with the group that’s high of the rankings on April 1.
ICC Take a look at Mace Winners (2003–2019)
| 12 months | Winner | Captain |
| 2003-2009 | Australia | Steve Waugh,Ricky Ponting |
| 2010-11 | India | MS Dhoni |
| 2012 | England | Andrew Strauss |
| 2013-15 | South Africa | Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla |
| 2016 | Australia | Steve Smith |
| 2017-19 | India | Virat Kohli |
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Groups with Most Mace Titles
- Australia:9
- India:5
- South Africa:3
What Modified in 2019?
The ICC realized that if rankings mirrored consistency, they’d by no means have topped a champion. To that finish, and in an effort to carry extra aggressive construction to Take a look at cricket, the ICC launched the World Take a look at Championship (WTC).
World Take a look at Championship Format
- 9 high Take a look at-playing nations compete in a league over 2 years.
- Each group performs six collection (three at house and three away).
- Below this format, the 2 highest-performing groups face off in a closing to crown the official Take a look at world champion.
- The winner of the World Take a look at Championship Last now claims the ICC Take a look at Mace, marking a shift from the earlier system primarily based solely on rankings.
WTC Last Winners & Mace Recipients
| WTC Cycle | Winner | Last Venue | Opponent |
| 2019-21 | New Zealand | The Rose Bowl England | India |
| 2021-23 | Australia | The Oval,England | India |
| 2023-25 | South Africa | Lord’s, England | Australia |
Achievements Highlights
- South Africa: makes historical past changing into the WTC 2025 Champion
- Australia: Most profitable Take a look at facet within the rankings period; additionally WTC 2023 champions.
- India: Dominated the rankings underneath Dhoni and Kohli; finalists in each WTC editions.
- New Zealand: The inaugural champions of the World Take a look at Championship, lifting the mace in 2021.
- South Africa & England: Had temporary however impactful reigns as No. 1.
Conclusion
This transition in how the mace is awarded displays cricket’s shift from a system of statistical dominance to at least one that rewards on-field championship battles. Whereas the mace as soon as stood for consistency, it now rewards efficiency underneath stress, including status and pleasure to the longest format of the sport. The legacy continues on the pitch, in white flannels, with crimson balls, and Now… with a world title at stake.
Written by RITESH SINGH
