The World Test Championship schedule has been disturbed by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the status of its much awaited final originally scheduled to happen in 2021 will depend on the total number of rescheduled bilateral series after the disruption, ICC GM Geoff Allardice said on Monday.

“We are currently in discussion with members on what their plans are around rescheduling their series,” Allardice answered to a query from PTI during an interaction with news agencies.

“Obviously their teams have re-scheduled them (their engagements) as quickly as possible. Depending on how many of them (postponed series) could be re-scheduled within the available time will give us the most appropriate timing for the final. But at this stage the final is scheduled for June 2021,” he said.

“We are working with the members on that…Countries are now working out on how to resume and when it’s best to resume and they are all in their process of looking at calenders,” Allardice added.

“I don’t see us taking a greater role in terms of being pro-active. ICC plays a role in coordinating competitions, but it has no role in scheduling as it is on members,” he clarified.

He admitted that there is a lot of “uncertainty around when international cricket can resume in a number of countries” considering that the situation is different everywhere.

“The rules around league were established, back in 2017-18, a decision was taken at that time that T20Is and ODis will be three-match series.

“Earlier, it used to be five ODIs and a T20 International. Probably it changes the balance but when the league was designed, the countries agreed that there would be three ODIs and three T20 Internationals,” he added.

“Look the ICC’s position is at the moment we have three international formats but members are encouraged to try out new format,” Allardice said.

“We are focussed on these three formats (Tests, ODis, T20Is). We are aware of what’s happening in member countries but it has not come on the ICC radar as yet,” the GM put forth global body’s point.

Talking about women’s cricket Allardice refused to buy the notion that women’s game is likely to suffer more because of the pandemic compared to men’s cricket.

“Women’s cricket is as much affected as men’s cricket. The planning is going ahead for the event and the situation is being monitored.”

Currently, India find themselves at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table and are favourites to reach the finals scheduled to be played at the iconic Lords Cricket Ground.

(With inputs from PTI)