What will happen if WTC Final ends in a draw or tie, ICC takes this big decision

Dubai: India and New Zealand would be crowned joint winners in case of a draw, or a tie, in the inaugural World Test Championship final that will be played in Southampton on June 18, International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.

''......a draw or a tie will see both teams crowned as joint winners as well as the allocation of a Reserve Day to make up for any lost time during the regular days of the Final - scheduled to be played from June 18 to 22, with 23 June set aside as the Reserve Day,'' the ICC said in a statement while confirming the playing conditions for the final.

''Both of these decisions were made in June 2018, prior to the commencement of the ICC World Test Championship,'' it added.

The Reserve Day has been scheduled to ensure five full days of play, and it will only be used if lost playing time cannot be recovered through the normal provisions of making up lost time each day.

''There will be no additional day's play if a positive result is not achieved after five full days of play and the match will be declared a draw in such a scenario,'' the ICC said.

In the event of time being lost during the match, the ICC match referee will regularly update the teams and media about the way in which the Reserve Day may be used.

The final decision on whether the Reserve Day needs to be used will be announced at the scheduled start of the last hour on the fifth day.

While India play at home with SG Test and New Zealand use Kookaburra at home, the final will be played with Grade 1 Dukes balls.

The much-anticipated contest between the world's top-two ranked sides will also see the newly implemented changes to international playing conditions into effect.

Short runs: The third umpire will automatically review any call of a 'short run' by the on-field umpire and communicate the decision to the on-field umpire prior to the next ball being bowled.

Player reviews: The fielding captain or the dismissed batsman may confirm with the umpire whether a genuine attempt has been made to play the ball prior to deciding whether to initiate a player review for LBW.

DRS reviews: For LBW reviews, the height margin of the wicket zone has been lifted to the top of the stumps to ensure the same umpire's call margin around the stumps for both height and width. (UNI)