Test cricket witnessed history at the Dubai Cricket Stadium when Pakistan beat the West Indies in a thrilling match by 56 runs in the final session of the fifth day. It was the first day-and-night Test match played in Asia and the second ever played, since Austalia and New Zealand inaugurated day-and-night Test cricket last year. The match also witnessed day-and-night Test cricket’s first ever century – and double and triple, too – when Azhar Ali became the fourth Pakistani to score a triple century.
But of course, when we talk about witnessing history unfold, there were few that actually showed up at the Dubai cricket stadium. 68 people turned up on the first day, with the numbers not exactly multiplying manifold throughout the course of the next four days. It was only after a Pakistani batting collapse had made the match interesting that some semblance of a ground was seen in the 25,000 capacity stadium, during the final sessions of the fourth and fifth day.
And so, a match that exhibited the very best of what Test cricket has to offer, has posed many questions both on and off the field – starting with the fact that so few were a part of it.
It was these very dwindling attendance figures that pushed the ICC into revamping the ‘purest’ form of the game, and repackaging it as a pink-ball flood lit contest. But the fact remains that UAE, a de facto neutral ground that has been Pakistan’s home in exile, which has jam-packed stadia for the Pakistan Super League – especially over the weekend – had record low crowd numbers for a historic occasion.
The choice of Dubai for the day-and-night game might not have been the best one to begin with. Dubai cricket stadium often fails to fill-up for limited-overs games as well, especially during the weekdays, unlike Sharjah, that even has crowds during the afternoon and evening sessions of Test matches. Unlike Dubai Cricket Stadium, the Sharjah Stadium is surrounded by the Pakistani expat residences, making it convenient for them to show up at the matches.
Considering that despite recent efforts Pakistan would have to play cricket at neutral venues – something it has been doing since 2002, seven years before the attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team – for the foreseeable future, they need to address the empty stadia for Tests in the UAE. This is something that captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who has built a fortress in the Emirates’ desert, has also pointed out.
Another factor that would influence the future of day and night cricket in the UAE – and Asia in general – is the dew, which impacted play in the first Test as well.
As far as on-field affairs go, Pakistan almost uncharacteristically made a meal of a strong position against a West Indies squad that had already been clean swept by the less illustrious T20 and ODI sides in the lead up to the first Test.
Pakistan should address allegations of complacency by clinical displays in the final two Tests ahead of the tour to New Zealand and Australia
It’s not often that a side that has been bowled out for 123 ends up winning the Test match. Similarly, one doesn’t see too many teams losing the match after playing out the first five sessions of a Test match and declaring with only three wickets down. But all results were possible going into the final two sessions. And what’s common in both the aforementioned stats was Pakistan’s inability to accelerate in accordance with the game situation.
Despite being in complete control over the proceedings, on a flat Dubai wicket, Pakistan wouldn’t budge from the 3-runs-per-over mark during the first two days. And similarly after deciding against enforcing the follow on to give the bowlers some much needed rest – as is the norm these days – Pakistan’s batting was in complete disarray. While one mustn’t take anything away from Devendra Bishoo’s 8/49, Pakistani batsmen did throw their wickets away while trying and failing to score some quick runs.
Even so, with everything said and done, Pakistan would take a target of around 350 for any visiting side over the final four sessions, ten out of ten times.
Again, while the West Indies inching closer to a remarkable victory could be put down to Dwayne Bravo’s remarkable century, there was also a case of lacklustre bowling. Yes, the dew made it hard to spin and reverse swing the pink ball, but Pakistan should never have been biting their nails on the final day of a UAE Test match, after the position they had carved out for themselves.
It could’ve been a case of complacency for a Pakistan side playing their first Test match since being crowned – and then dethroned – as the number one Test side. Pakistan can put the pointing fingers to bed, with clinical displays in the Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Tests. For there’s no room for resting on laurels, when immortality beckons for Misbah’s Team in New Zealand and Australia over the next two months.
