PCB backs day-night Test matches

As the International Cricket Council (ICC) ponders the prospect of floodlit Test matches, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will also be pushing for a green signal after staging the final of its premier domestic tournament under lights earlier this year.

ICC cricket committee at its ongoing meeting in Lord's will discuss the prospect of future of day-night Tests in its main agenda along and will also take up Decision Review System (DRS) and various other issues.

The feedbacks by the PCB and Cricket Australia (CA) along with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) which tested floodlit first-class matches is supposed to play vital role in making a decision on future of day-night Tests.

Though the MCC and CA's views are yet to be revealed, the PCB has given thumbs up to the idea on basis of its experiment.

The Pakistan board created history in January this year by holding the first official day-night first-class match, the final of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy that was played between the Pakistan International Airline and Habib Bank at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The final which was played with the orange ball after mutual consent of the teams though failed to drew a sizeable crowd.

"It was a successful experiment," PCB's Director Domestic Sultan Rana was quoted as saying in The Express Tribune.

"We have sent a positive report to the ICC and the idea should go on at the top level," he added.

Rana said the report that has been sent to the ICC was prepared after taking feedbacks from the competing players, both team managements, umpires and the other boards officials who were assigned to make their assessment.

"It was a comprehensive report that included feedbacks from all those involved in the match," he said.

Rana, however, played down reports that came after the match suggesting some players were unhappy with experiment, citing weak sighting under lights.

"We got mixed reactions from players but the majority of them had no issues and backed the idea," he said.

"It's not possible to get the same viewpoint from all stake holders and the issues raised were not serious and can be resolved."