If reports are to be believed, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is all set to approve plans for its long-awaited World Test Championship.

The ICC has argued for years that a Test championship is needed to boost the five-day format’s popularity as crowds and television viewers flock to the big hitting T20 version of the game, reports the ANI.

Plans for a nine-nation Test championship were now well advanced and the ICC was set to give the concept a green light on Friday at a meeting in Auckland, reports the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

It is reported that the first edition of the competition would run over a two-year cycle beginning in 2019, culminating in a final between the top two teams at the iconic Lord’s.