Waqar Younis not keen on pink ball use in all Test matches
Aug 18, 2020
Southampton [UK], Aug 18 : Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis has said that playing all Test matches with the pink ball is not as easy as people are making it to be, and this particular idea needs to be tried out first in domestic matches in the UK.
His remark comes as various former cricketers including Shane Warne, have batted for using the pink ball in all Test cricket to counter the bad light situations.
Normally, a pink ball is only used when the Test match is a day-night contest.
"Worldwide the pink ball is only really being played with on a trial basis as we see if we run into problems. In day-night matches, there is strong evidence to suggest the pink ball could work, but in England, only one pink-ball Test has happened. I don't yet know how a pink Dukes ball is going to behave in this country. If conditions are overcast and the lights are on, maybe it'll do too much. The toss becomes very important," ESPNCricinfo quoted Waqar as saying.
"Purely for revenue and entertainment, it's a promising idea, but everyone will need to adapt. We need to see more pink-ball use in domestic cricket in England to get the full picture. We need further trials in England. I feel unless the light gets really bad, we can stay out there a bit longer," he added.
Only 134.3 overs were bowled in the second Test between England and Pakistan with 38.1 of them being bowled on the final day. The entire second Test was hampered by the combination of bad light and rain.
Pakistan had scored 236 runs in the first innings, and England only got a chance to spend a respectable amount of time in the middle with the bat on the final day of the match.
The side managed to put up 110/4 before the match ended in a draw.
England has a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford by three wickets.
The third and final Test will be played at Southampton from August 21.
