Babar Azam Open to Pink Ball Tests After Rain-Hit Rawalpindi Draw
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said he is open to the pink ball for future home Tests after rain and bad light wiped out around 141 overs in the drawn first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. The Babar Azam pink ball debate now sits at the centre of Pakistan’s planning for home Tests in winter, when early sunsets and poor light regularly eat into playing time.
Babar spoke after the draw was agreed on Friday, November 13, and coach Mike Hesson backed the idea.
A Test that lost almost two days of play
Only three innings were possible across the five days. Pakistan declared their first innings at 434 for nine, with five batters reaching half-centuries, including three debutants. Sri Lanka replied with 446, built on centuries from Dhananjaya de Silva (167) and captain Kusal Mendis (119), who added 249 for the fifth wicket. Debutant Saqib Khan then took seven for 130, and Sri Lanka lost their last six wickets for 42 runs.
Saud Shakeel’s 97 then carried Pakistan to 284 for eight, a lead of 272 that Sri Lanka never had to chase. Bad light stopped play early on each evening, and rain washed out much of the fourth day.
Why the Babar Azam pink ball switch is now on the table
The International Cricket Council approved the use of the pink ball in day Tests at its quarterly meeting earlier this year, in a move aimed at cutting the overs lost to bad light.
Hesson said the option “certainly needs to be talked about for the future series. It is going to be a challenge to play Test matches in this time of the year regardless of where in Pakistan. As the ICC have now allowed that to be an option, this is something that seriously needs to be considered before the series.”
Babar agreed, but said two or three days of preparation would not be enough for a team that plays with the red ball all year. “You will have to prepare differently for the pink ball and two-three days are not enough because we play with the red ball throughout,” Babar said. “If we get a chance to prepare with the pink ball for longer then it is certainly something we would be open for [to play a day Test with the pink ball].”
No switch for the second Test
The idea was discussed for the second Test against Sri Lanka, which starts on Tuesday, November 17, but the two boards did not take it up. The match was moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi because of hazardous smog levels in Lahore, and with only three days between the two Tests the players would have had no real time to adjust to the pink ball.
That leaves the second Test as another red-ball match at the same ground. The board had already moved the first Test start to 9:30am to bank extra daylight, and even that was not enough.
Babar also praised Saqib Khan, whom he called outstanding, and backed Saud Shakeel, who fell in the nineties in both innings, as the backbone of the side. “We are trying to figure out why Saud is getting out in the nineties. Saud knows very well how to churn longer innings in crunch moments and he is the backbone of our team.”
The draw leaves the series level and Pakistan bottom of the WTC table, their win percentage up from 4.63 to 7.50 percent. See our WTC points table update, day-five report, record report on Saud Shakeel’s twin scores, and the second Test preview.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Babar Azam talking about the pink ball?
Around 141 overs were lost to rain and bad light, and only three innings were possible in five days. The pink ball is easier to see under lights.
What did the ICC decide about the pink ball?
The ICC approved the pink ball in day Tests earlier this year, as an option to cut the overs lost to bad light. Each series can decide whether to use it.
Will Pakistan use the pink ball in the second Test?
No. The two boards did not consider a switch for the second Test, starting November 17 in Rawalpindi. With only three days between Tests, Babar said there was not enough time to prepare.
What did Mike Hesson say?
Pakistan’s head coach said the option “seriously needs to be considered” for future home series.
How did the first Test end?
The match ended in a draw on Friday, November 13. Pakistan declared at 284 for eight, a lead of 272, and the sides agreed to end it. Saud Shakeel scored 97, and Saqib Khan took seven for 130.
