Australia invites Pakistan to play Day-Night Test Down-Under: Reports

Australia invites Pakistan to play Day-Night Test Down-Under: Reports: If the official statement of Pakistan Cricket Board has to be believed, then Pakistan is set to become the third team to feature in a Day-Night Test Match. As per the conversation between Cricket Australia and PCB’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed, a day-night Test could take place when the Subcontinent nation tours Australia in the 2016-17 summer. Subhan said, “We have received a proposal from Cricket Australia to play a day-night Test in the 2016-2017 series. The matter has been referred to our cricket committee for consideration.”

He further added,” In principle, the PCB is supportive of and inclined towards accepting and trying out innovative ideas and new technologies. And this includes the proposal of playing Test matches under lights..”

However, Cricket Australia denied all the rumours and didn’t confirm the news. The official spokesperson of CA said, “We’re in the very early stages of working through our 2016-17 home schedule. At this point, we aren’t in a position to comment on specific details.”

It is to be noted that this is not the first time that Pakistan team seems eager to play under lights. In fact, it would have become the first nation to try out Cricket’s newest trend had Sri Lanka not refused the offer back in 2013-14’s UAE tour because of lack of match practice with the Pink ball.

In the past as well, PCB has been organizing day-night Tests at the domestic circuits in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the country’s premier first-class tournament. It is seriously considering holding the final of the ongoing tournament as a day-night fixture in Karachi. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final has been played twice under the artificial lights at National Stadium Karachi, using an orange ball in 2010-11 Season and a pink ball in 2011-12.

The Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has had some concerns about the choice of balls though. He doesn’t seem to be satisfied with the Pink or Orange ball and said if it has to happen, then it should happen with the White ball. The feedback which the PCB has received from the domestic players playing in this tournament would also be handy in deciding whether the talks transpire into something concrete when Pakistan tours Australia next year or not.

The first ever Day-Night Test will take place between Australia and New Zealand later this month at Adelaide.