BD turn down PCB request to play pink-ball Test in Karachi

KARACHI: Bangladesh’s cricket authorities have turned down Pakistan’s proposal of playing the second and final Test in Karachi under floodlights.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had proposed to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that the final match of their two-Test series, scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi from April 7, be played with a pink ball and under lights. The proposal was aimed at raising spectator interest in the match.

However, a top BCB official said on Tuesday that his board had turned down the proposal as Bangladesh weren’t prepared to play under lights. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, BCB’s Chief Executive Officer, said the Bangladesh team management is of the opinion that the team is not ready for a day-night Test and the challenge should not be taken without ample homework.

“We have spoken with our team management and they are not ready to play a day-night Test at the moment, due to lack of preparation,” Nizamuddin told reporters.

“The board understands their [team management’s] point of view and, after taking everything into consideration, we have decided not to play day-night Test matches in Pakistan,” he said.

Bangladesh have only played one pink-ball Test in their history. In that match played last year in November, India thrashed them by a huge margin in Kolkata. The second and final Test will conclude Pakistan’s home series against Bangladesh. It will be the third and final phase of the series.

Due to security concerns, Bangladesh refused to send their team for a tour of Pakistan stressing that the visitors won’t stay in the country for any long duration. Following negotiations between the cricket boards of the two countries it was decided that Bangladesh will tour Pakistan in three phases. They came to Lahore for a three-match Twenty20 International series and were beaten 2-0. Then they returned to play the first Test in Rawalpindi. Pakistan thrashed them by an innings and 44 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series which is part of the ICC Test Championship. Bangladesh will return to play a one-off One-day International and the final Test in Karachi in the first week of April.