Dubai: The Dubai International Stadium is all geared up for the first ever Day-Night Test match with the pink ball set to commence on October 13.
Maqbul Dudhia, general manager, Sports Business of Dubai Sports City and Usman Wahla, general manager of the Pakistan Cricket Board International Cricket Operations, revealed plans for making the historic moment a memorable one. For the history of Pakistan cricket too it is a special moment as the Test match will be their 400th one.
“The Dubai Sports City is extremely honoured and privileged to be hosting not only the 400th Test that Pakistan has played in and also the second day-night Test match ever and the first in the UAE and this region. We are extraordinarily privileged to be hosting and it is a tremendous milestone and we are so delighted and happy to be able host Pakistan on a regular basis here,” said Dudhia.
The stadium’s Ring of Fire was put on and tested to ensure that the pink ball when introduced is visible for the players at night. With 365 individual lights located within the roof structure, it is expected to provide lighting levels exceeding international standards for night matches.
“The Ring of Fire lighting facility is unique and we are sure that the lighting will make the players comfortable. From 2009 we have been playing on this ground, starting with a match against Australia and ever since it has been a home away from home for the Pakistan team,” added Wahla, who also revealed that the Sharjah three-day match between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Patrons XI and West Indies match was a preparation for the day-night Test match in pink ball.
“We played the match exactly during the same time the Test match will be held starting from 3.30pm. To ensure that players do not get affected by the change of light from the setting sun to full darkness, we have divided the break time into a half an hour duration of two sessions. First break will be from 5.30pm to 6pm and second from 8pm to 8.30pm. The match will end every day at 10.30pm,” revealed Wahla, who also added that the Pakistan players have been playing with the pink ball in Pakistan.
“We played the Quaid-e-Azam trophy (domestic tournament) first with an orange ball and then have been playing with pink balls. Now nearly 10 matches of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy tournament is now being played with the pink ball,” he added.
Wahla is delighted that spinners took wickets with the pink ball during the three day match in Sharjah from both sides. “It was nice to see West Indies spinner Devendra Bishoo and our spinner Shahzaib Ahmad take five wickets each, proving that pink ball hasn’t affected them. In Sharjah we did not encounter much night dew and we expect the same here too,” said Wahla, who also talked about the celebration plans for Pakistan’s 400th Test match.
“We have made commemorative coins for this particular match. We will be handing out special caps to mark the occasion. We are lucky to have some ex-Test players like Wasim Bari, Waqar Younis and Rameez Raja and we will all have them there and cut a cake. We are still working on a few other things but we will surely have some commemorative things to make the occasion.”
