Pakistan Cricket Board official told this scribe that it has been decided to hold the final under lights. “The board has decided to carry on with the concept of day-night final to attract people.”
Last year’s final between Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was the first-ever first-class domestic cricket match to be played under lights. Though it was not a roaring success, it certainly brought a new dimension to first-class cricket.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final would be played from December 20-24 at National Stadium with pink balls being used in the match.
HBLvs PIA was played at the National Stadium Karachi (NSK) and the venue will once again embrace the biggest occasion of premier domestic tournament. “NSK has been chosen as the venue,” the official added.
The match will be played from December 20-24. The finalists have not been decided. With one match left, four teams remain in contention. Last year’s runners-up PIA currently sit at the top with 57 points, four ahead of second-placed WAPDA. The two sides are followed by ZTBL (48) and SBP (47). All of them remain in the hunt to book their ticket in the mega match.
The rise of Twenty20 cricket has certainly taken some sheen off the longer forms of the game and to make it attractive the concept of day-night cricket has been introduced. Though it is yet to take off in an explosive fashion, it is an attractive prospect, from the point of view of viewers, sponsors and players.
Dave Richardson, International Cricket Council (ICC) General Manager, was on a visit during last year’s final to witness the security measures and the experiment of day-night first-class matches. Several former cricketers have suggested to the ICC to go from day Tests to day-night ones, but it is still weighing pros and corns of this idea. Pakistan’ first day-night first-class match was played with an orange ball, which moved prodigiously during the twilight. There was mixed response to the idea as some experts said that playing the whole tournament in daylight and then playing a day-night final was a foolish thing to do.
Those who opposed the idea felt that every team should have been given a chance to play under lights. Those who backed the decision said that former cricketers and experts should support the PCB for bringing changes.
