West Indies to host Day-Night Test against Australia in July
What's the story
The West Indies cricket team is set to host a Day-Night Test against Australia at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica in July.
This pink-ball fixture will be the first to be played in Jamaica in Test history.
Legendary Jamaican cricketer Michael Holding was optimistic about the success of the upcoming match.
Notably, the iconic Sabina Park is being equipped with installation of extra floodlights.
Facility improvements
Sabina Park undergoes upgrades for Day-Night Test
As per Cricbuzz, the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) and other cricket authorities have confirmed the upcoming event.
Sabina Park is currently undergoing necessary upgrades to meet the requirements for a pink-ball Test, including additional lighting installations.
Daley Redcliffe, the Kingston Cricket Club (KCC) head, affirmed that the Day-Night match is slated for this summer.
Collaboration
Government and cricket authorities partner for Sabina Park upgrades
Courtney Francis, the JCA CEO, stressed on how important this Test match is for Jamaica and the JCA.
The Jamaican government has partnered with JCA and Cricket West Indies (CWI) to finance the upgrades of Sabina Park's facilities. These upgrades include new lights and an electronic scoreboard.
Jamaica's Minister of Sport Olivia Grange confirmed funding through the Sports Development Foundation for these upgrades.
Cricket trends
Day-Night Tests: A global perspective
The Caribbean will host a pink-ball Test for the second time. The first such fixture was between hosts West Indies and Sri Lanka in Barbados in 2018.
The idea of Day-Night Tests has been adopted differently by cricket boards across the world. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been hesitant over match duration.
Since 2015, as many as 23 day-night Tests have been played globally, with Australia hosting 13, according to Cricbuzz.