Pakistan backs day-night Tests

KARACHI: Pakistani cricket authorities have given their support to the idea of hosting day-night Tests, saying they would increase the "product value" of the matches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) last month permitted the day-night Tests, leaving it up to the boards of the two countries involved to decide on the playing hours and the colour of the ball.

The Executive Coordination Committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which met in Lahore on Thursday, welcomed the idea.

"Cricket has changed over time and the day-night Tests would provide the cricket fans with an opportunity to watch the matches played under this format during prime-time television," a PCB release said.

Legendary Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad and former captain Intikhab Alam, both members of the Committee, said the concept was a good one.

"The Committee observed that the application of the concept would also increase the product value of these matches for the host boards," the PCB said.

Australia have also welcomed the idea but India have shown no enthusiasm.

Pakistan have experimented the day-night long-form cricket twice, staging the finals of their premier first-class tournament – the Quaid-e-Azam trophy – in 2011.

Pakistan used an orange ball in those finals, instead of the pink ball commonly used in day-night matches in England, the West Indies and Bangladesh.

But before trying the idea Pakistan faces the tough task of reviving international cricket in the country, suspended since terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Those attacks forced foreign teams to refuse tours to Pakistan on security fears.

However, the successful staging of two exhibition Twenty20 matches in Karachi – involving an International World XI – have raised PCB's hopes of international teams' return to the country as early as next year.