Pak Vs. West Indies: Azhar Ali writes pink ball history
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DUBAI (APP) - Opener Azhar Ali became the first batsman to record a century in a day-night Test off a pink ball as he helped Pakistan dominate West Indies in Dubai on Thursday.
Pak Vs. West Indies Test: Asia first pink ball test match
Ali's unbeaten 146 guided Pakistan to 279-1 at close on the opening day of the first Test -- just the second day-night match in Test cricket's 140-year history -- after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat on a flat Dubai stadium pitch.
Asad Shafiq was the other not out batsman with 33.
Cricket saw the innovation of day-night Tests with a pink ball for the first time when Australia played New Zealand at Adelaide in November last year, attempting to reverse the trend of dwindling Test crowds.
Australia won the low-scoring affair on the third day by a narrow three-wicket margin, with Australian wicket-keeper Peter Nevill's 66 the top individual score.
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Ali bettered that and put his name in the records book with a 366-minute stay at the crease, hitting 14 boundaries, but unlike Adelaide where the attendance was 123,000 over three days, only 500-odd people passed through the gates in Dubai.
Despite the empty stands Ali and Sami Aslam, who fell for 90, started brightly with an imperious 215-run stand for the opening wicket.
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Ali drove off-spinner Roston Chase to mid-off for his ninth boundary to complete his 11th Test century -- his second in three matches -- before pumping the air in jubiliation.
