TIME TO GO FOR BROKE
Pakistan and Sri Lanka head into the second ever daynight Test in the UAE, with the series on the line. The UAE, Pakistan’s ‘home’ away from home, has been a bit of a fortress but that could change over the next five days and nights at the ‘Ring of Fire’ — the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
It is a bit of a rarity that Pakistan find themselves under the pump in the desert but that’s the situation they are in after what transpired in Abu Dhabi last week. Playing their first ever Test match following the retirements of the battle-hardened veterans Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, Pakistan actually coped decently well in their absence.
The batting held up pretty well to give the ideal riposte to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 419, by trotting up 422.
But it all unravelled in their second dig, Pakistan floundering on a tricky fifth day pitch in pursuit of the modest of targets —136. It was a sorry looking batting card, as Pakistan were foxed by the wily veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. And Pakistan’s new captain Sarfraz Ahmed faces the ignominy of seeing Pakistan lose their first ever series here in the UAE.
A draw is out of the question and Pakistan have only one option staring at them, and that is to go for a win to level the series, at the least. A draw wouldn’t suffice as that would play into Sri Lanka’s hands.
Pakistan have played nine series here since 2010 and have won five and drawn four. Although Sarfraz wouldn’t admit it, the day-night Test would be to Pakistan’s advantage. They played their first pinkball day-night Test in Dubai last year against the West Indies. So, as far as a few aces go, Pakistan do have them, in the sense that, they have the knowledge on how to cope with it.
“We played a day-night Test last year and as such there is no advantage. Of course, we do have an idea but we also have a lot of players who are playing a pink ball Test for the first time. Amir, Yasir Shah, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Wahab and me, we played the pink ball Test. The others are playing for the first time. So, I feel there wouldn’t be much of an advantage,” said Sarfraz.
Pakistan have been forced into a change with Wahab Riaz coming in for Hasan Ali, who has been hampered with a problem with his left glute. Meanwhile, for Sri Lanka it is a bit of an unknown territory in more ways than one. It is their first ever daynight Test and it is perhaps for the first time in a while that the island nation stare at the prospect of a series win — home or away.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal was pretty excited at the prospect of playing their first daynight Test and also nicking their first ever series win in a while.
“Actually we are excited because this is our first pink-ball Test match. Actually we played last season with the pink ball in domestic cricket but not day and night. So this is the first day and night we are playing and it will be a good challenge for the team. But I am sure guys will take this challenge very well,” said Chandimal.
With a rare series win within sniffing distance, one may think Sri Lanka would take the safer option and play for a draw. But not quite as Chandimal is intent on landing that knockout punch on Pakistan.