Pakistan take on the West Indies from Thursday in the maiden day-night Test to be played in Asia, which coincidentally will be the country’s 400th Test as well.

This gives us all the reason to celebrate this historic match which is to be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The first match of the three-Test series after Pakistan’s clean sweep against the West Indians in the T20 and ODI series earlier therefore will be followed and watched by hundreds and thousands of people round the globe if not in the UAE where attendance is low to see the outcome of this encounter to have further seal of approval in support of what the floodlit Tests will have on offer in future, the pink ball and all.

Last year if I remember the experiment of such Test was held at Adelaide Oval with a game between Australia and New Zealand which though ended within three days, it did however a record crowd of 123,000 to give a thumbs up for the idea.

Suspicions and certain reservations however loom over the use of the pink ball and its sighting but this certainly is not a mystery which cannot be solved.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, no doubt, will enter into another glorious chapter of his illustrious career by leading his country in this unique and historic Test.

It was in 1952 that Pakistan played their first official Test and that was on their first tour as a Test-playing nation to India and now 64 years later they will be playing their 400th Test match. I only wish this on their home soil but it couldn’t be and the UAE which now serves as their home would have the honour.

Pakistan’s march to a number of landmarks have been enchanting, exciting and entertaining in that period, experiencing their high and low and their triumphs and tribulations.

Their 100th Test was in 1978-79 against Australia at the MCG which Pakistan won miraculously by 71 runs. It was the most unexpected and improbable victory. At 4-30 on the final afternoon Australia required only 77 runs to win with seven wickets intact when things turned on its head as Sarfraz Nawaz produced one of the greatest spells of bowling ever seen on the Australian soil, picking up those seven remaining wickets for one run in 33 deliveries.

The last seven wickets had fallen for five runs in the space of 65 balls as Sarfraz finished with nine for 86. Even a century by Alan Border (105) in the second innings could not save the hosts as the ball cut, swung and reversed.

Pakistan’s 200th Test was against England at Old Trafford in 1992, but it was badly hit by rain before ending in a draw but not before the left-handed opener Aamir Sohail hit 205 and Ramiz Raja, Asif Mujtaba and Javed Miandad contributed a half century each in Pakistan’s tally of 505-9 in the first innings.

Likewise, England’s Graham Gooch, Chris Lewis and Ian Salisbury too notched up scores of over fifty. Wasim Akram and Aaqib Javed were the pick of Pakistan bowlers in a controversy-marred match.

The 300th Test of Pakistan after a decade or so was played at home and in Multan where India won by an innings and 52 runs like they did in 1952 when they defeated Pakistan in their inaugural Test at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.

Memorable as it was for the fact that Virender Sehwag hit an entertaining 309 to become the first Indian batsman to score a triple century. Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 194 proved as much productive in India’s imposing total of 675-5 declared.

Yasir Hameed and Inzamam-ul-Haq contributed with over fifty runs in the first innings and a century by Mohammad Yousuf in the second was of not much help even as Irfan Pathan and Anil Kumble excelled with the ball.

This 400th Test no doubt will have its own story to tell. Pakistan compared to West Indies on present form look formidable. And if recent showing of the West Indians have any indication of what is in store for them against Pakistan spinners like Yasir Shah and his partners then Misbah’s men look favourites even with the pink ball in question.

Pity though that Younis Khan will not be there to celebrate this historic event as he recovers in Karachi from the dengue virus.

Published in Dawn October 12th, 2016