Pakistan to play day-night Test against West Indies in Dubai

Karachi, Aug 25: Pakistan and the West Indies will play a day and night Test in Dubai from October 13-17, making it the second ever five-day international match to be held under lights.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday (Aug 25) issued the itinerary for the home series against the West Indies in the United Arab Emirates which will include three Tests, three One-day Internationals and as many T20 Internationals.

Interestingly, the PCB has opted for just three ODIs although their team is languishing at ninth position in the ICC rankings and requires to win more matches to climb up the ladder to avoid having to qualify for the World Cup 2019.

According to the itinerary the day and night Test will be organized with a Kookaburra pink ball after the West Indies cricket board agreed to the experiment.

Test cricket's only day and night Test was organized last year in Australia where the hosts played against New Zealand.

The West Indies have been given a three-day practice match against the PCB patrons eleven under lights at Sharjah to prepare them for the day and night Test.

The series which the PCB unsuccessfully tried to move to Sri Lanka begins with the T20 series from September 23 in Dubai.

The two other T20 matches are scheduled in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the 24th and 27th followed by the ODI series on September 30, October 2 and 5 in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

The Test matches are scheduled from October 13-17 in Dubai, October 21-25 in Abu Dhabi and October 30 to November 3 in Sharjah.

The PCB has also announced it will be holding eleven matches of its premier first class competition, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy under lights with the pink ball as it tries to embrace the concept of day and night Test.

PTI