The first two and a half sessions on Day two of the Day-Night Test between Pakistan and the West Indies at the Dubai International cricket stadium, were dominated by Pakistan’s batsmen.
Azhar Ali remained in the spotlight for a second day running, after he scored a triple century, Pakistan declared soon after at 579-3.
A good day at the office for Pakistan, and a day of records for the Dubai International Stadium.
Firstly, this is the first Day-Night Match being played in the Northern Hemisphere.
Secondly, Pakistan’s 579-3 is the highest Test innings score by any team at this ground, beating the previous record of 517 made by South Africa in 2013.
Thirdly, Azhar Ali’s 302 is the highest individual score at the Dubai International Stadium, bettering Graham Smith’s 234 – which the South African batsman scored in 2013.
Ali is also now only the fourth Pakistan player to score a triple-ton, the other three members of this exclusive club are Hanif Mohammad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Younis Khan.
Finally, Azhar Ali also passed the 4,000 run mark in Tests, becoming the 10th Pakistani player to achieve this milestone.
Speaking after the day’s play Azhar Ali described the moment he passed the three hundred mark and what it meant to him.
“For me it, I can’t really explain my feelings, the way the team and captain supported me through the last few runs, when I was nearing three hundred, it was exceptional from them. It is a big achievement and I will remember it all my life.
“It is a proud moment for me, those who have already scored triple centuries have been exceptional players and world class players, I am still working hard on my game but getting on that 300 list is a proud moment for me.
“If I had scored this at home, and with a better crowd it could have made this even better, but a 300 is a 300 and I will take 300 runs any day, but I would love it if more crowds came in and watched the Day-Night Test.”
West Indies spinner Devendra Bishoo who took two wickets on Day 2 spoke about his experience with the pink ball. “Azhar Ali’s innings was a really good innings, a really good triple hundred the first time I saw one, it was flawless.
“I think on the fourth and fifth day this pitch will spin, the wicket is hard right now and it is flat and it is a good batting pitch.
“The pink ball is not any different, I think this ball wears out a bit more than the red ball, the pink starts to peel off a bit, and it starts getting dark, but it is not very difficult to bowl.”