Lord’s Cricket Ground to Lose 45 crores as India Fails to Reach WTC Final

London: The iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London is projected to lose around £4 million in revenue because India will not be competing in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final, scheduled to be held there from June 11th to 15th.

This year marks the first time Lord’s, often called the “Home of Cricket,” will host the WTC final. The match will feature defending champions Australia against South Africa, who topped the WTC 2023-25 rankings.

Initially, Lord’s anticipated strong demand, particularly from Indian cricket fans, and set premium ticket prices assuming India would be in the final. However, India’s unexpected losses, including a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand at home and a 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, dashed their hopes of reaching their third consecutive WTC final. This meant India, a strong draw for cricket fans globally, would not be playing at Lord’s.

Consequently, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, made the decision to significantly reduce ticket prices. This move aimed to ensure a packed and lively stadium, even if it meant sacrificing potential earnings from higher-priced tickets and acknowledging that a sparsely filled ground with expensive seats was less desirable.

This price adjustment came after the MCC faced criticism in the previous season for setting ticket prices too high. The revised ticket prices for the WTC final now range from £40 to £90 – approximately £50 less than the original prices. The Times reported that this price reduction reflects the estimated £4 million revenue shortfall.

The MCC has also taken steps to refund the difference to its members who had already purchased tickets at the higher, original prices.

Despite the WTC final revenue setback, Lord’s is still set to host a major India match later in the summer. In July, the ground will be the venue for the third Test match between India and England, scheduled from July 10th to 14th.