Adelaide, Dubai, Edgbaston and Beyond - Tracking the Pink Ball Journey
Adelaide, Dubai, Edgbaston and Beyond - Tracking the Pink Ball Journey
With India set to host their first-ever Day-Night Test soon, we take a look back at the previous Test matches to have been played under floodlights.

The second and final Test between India and Bangladesh will take place in Eden Gardens, Kolkata and will be the first-ever Day-Night Test that either side will play in.

The first Day-Night Test was played in 2015 and since then there have been 10 more matches played with the pink ball.

Bangladesh have their task cut out for them in the match; not only are they unfamiliar with ways to deal with the pink ball, they come into this match having been beaten comprehensively in the first Test at Indore.

With India set to host their first-ever Day-Night Test in four days’ time, we take a look back at the previous Test matches to have been played under floodlights.

Australia vs New Zealand, 27 November-1 December 2015 in Adelaide – Australia Won by 3 Wickets

The first ever Test match to be played under floodlights took place in Adelaide and saw the bowlers reap plenty of rewards with the pink ball.

Batting first, New Zealand were bundled out for 202; Australia didn’t do much better in reply, losing 10 wickets after posting 224.

The visitors scored 208 in the second innings to set Australia 187 to win, a target they chased down but not before they lost 7 wickets.

Pakistan vs West Indies, October 13-17 2016 in Dubai – Pakistan Won by 56 Runs

The first Test of a three-match series between the two sides was also the first time either of these sides encountered the pink ball.

Pakistan opted to bat first and thanks to a triple century from Azhar Ali were able to declare at 579-3 before dismissing West Indies for 357.

Devendra Bishoo’s 8-49 ensured Pakistan could only add 123 runs to their first innings lead but the target of 346 proved too much for West Indies despite Darren Bravo’s fighting century.

Australia vs South Africa, 24-28 November 2016 in Adelaide – Australia Won by 7 Wickets

The second-ever Day-Night Test in Adelaide saw a familiar result as hosts Australia ran out comprehensive winners against South Africa.

South Africa declared their first innings at 259-9 but Australia posted 383 in reply with Usman Khawaja top-scoring for the hosts with 145.

The visitors needed a big second innings but were dismissed for 250, with Australia getting the required 127 runs with relative ease.

Australia vs Pakistan, December 15-19 2016 in Brisbane – Australia Won by 39 Runs

Australia continued their winning streak in pink ball Tests when they took on Pakistan but the story could have been very different.

Tons from Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb saw the hosts post 429 in the first innings before they rolled over the visitors for a paltry 142.

The hosts then declared their second innings at 202-5. Needing 490 to win, Pakistan nearly pulled off the chase thanks to a ton from Asad Shafiq as well as half-centuries from Azhar Ali and Younis Khan but it proved too big a task in the end.

England vs West Indies, August 17-19 2017 in Edgbaston – England Won by an Innings & 209 Runs

England’s first foray into pink ball Tests ended with a comprehensive win over a hapless West Indies, who struggled to come to terms with the hosts’ pace attack.

Batting first, England posted a mammoth 514-8 declared, with Alastair Cook scoring 243 and skipper Joe Root also pitching in with a well-made 136.

West Indies could manage only 168 in reply and when they were asked to follow on they fared worse, getting bundled out for 137.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 6-10 October 2017 in Dubai – Sri Lanka Won by 68 Runs

Sri Lanka made their pink ball Test bow by overcoming Pakistan in what was an extremely back and forth game that could have gone any way.

Sri Lanka made 482 before dismissing Pakistan for 262. The visitors seemed favourites at this point yet Pakistan fought back, dismissing Sri Lanka for just 98 in the second innings.

That left them needing 317 to win. Despite an Asad Shafique ton and a half-century from Sarfaraz Ahmed, a lack of contributions from elsewhere saw them bundled out for 248.

Australia vs England, 2-6 December 2017 in Adelaide – Australia Won by 120 Runs

This match was notable for being the first Ashes encounter to take place under floodlights but while England’s first run-in with the pink ball ended in victory, that wasn’t to be the case this time around.

Batting first, Australia declared at 442-8 before dismissing England for 227. The visitors clawed their way back into the game in the next innings, with some excellent swing bowling by James Anderson and Chris Woakes ensuring Australia made only 138.

Yet the target of 354 was always going to be a challenge and England could only muster 233 in reply.

South Africa vs Zimbabwe, December 26-27 2017 in Port Elizabeth – South Africa Won by an Innings & 120 Runs

South Africa’s first win in a pink ball Test came against minnows Zimbabwe in a one-off Boxing Day Test in which the hosts dominated.

The Proteas made 309-9 before declaring in the first innings before twice dismissing the visitors cheaply.

Zimbabwe could only manage 68 in the first innings – with only two players registering double digit scores. They didn’t fare much better in the second innings, scoring 121 when asked to follow-on.

New Zealand vs England, March 22-26 2018 in Auckland – New Zealand Won by an Innings & 49 Runs

New Zealand’s first day-night Test at home saw them run riot over England, with the bulk of the damage being done in the first innings.

Batting first, England were dismissed for a paltry 58, with Trent Boult taking 6-32 and Tim Southee taking 4-25.

New Zealand responded strongly, declaring their first innings at 427-8. England’s batsmen did better in the second innings but even 320 wasn’t enough to avoid an innings defeat.

West Indies vs Sri Lanka, June 23-26 2018 in Bridgetown – Sri Lanka Won by 4 Wickets

Sri Lanka were trailing the three-Test series 1-0 going into the final Test but managed to pick up the unlikeliest of wins to level the series.

The visitors rolled out West Indies for 204 yet found themselves trailing at the end of the innings as they could only post 154 in reply.

However, some inspired bowling from Suranga Lakmal (3-25) and Kasun Rajitha (3-20) saw West Indies bowled out for 93 in the second innings and Sri Lanka got the required 144 runs in a little over 40 overs.

Australia vs Sri Lanka, January 24-26 2019 in Brisbane – Australia Won by an Innings & 40 Runs

The only pink ball Test to take place in 2019 was a relatively one-sided affair that saw Australia win their fifth straight Day-Night Test match.

Australia’s pacers ran riot in the first innings as Sri Lanka managed only 144 before being dismissed. In reply, Australia posted 323 thanks to half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head.

That proved to be more than enough as Pat Cummins (6-23) guided the hosts to an easy win.

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