AUSW vs INDW Pink-ball: The ODI series are now over, and we can shift our focus to the first-ever day/night Test between the two sides. Here is a background story for the match!
As the Indian male cricketers continue with the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 currently ongoing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), their female counterparts are preparing for a different challenge altogether.
In May this year, Cricket Australia (CA) had announced that their women’s team will be hosting the Indian women for a three-format series starting from the 19th of September.
With the ODI series now done, and India disappointingly losing it 1-2 to the hosts, the focus now shifts on the women in blue’s first-ever pink-ball Test match.
AUS W vs IND W Pink Ball Test
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First Test in 15 years
The Indian women will be facing the Aussie women in a Test match for the first time in 15 years – the previous such occasion dating back to February 2006. That Test ended in a dominating victory for the Aussies by an innings and 4 runs, and was played at the picturesque Adelaide Oval.
This time around, the one-off Test will take place at the Carrara Oval in Queensland. What is also more intriguing is the fact that this is going to be a pink-ball Test match, to take place under day/night conditions.
History of Pink-ball Tests in Women’s Cricket
This is only the second-ever pink-ball Test match as far as women’s cricket is concerned, with the first one dating back to the year 2017. That match also took place in Australia, at the North Sydney Oval in Sydney, as the hosts took on their arch-rivals England. The match ended in a draw.
Big stride for Women’s Cricket
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now started to work actively in the furtherance of women’s cricket in the country. As a result, India played their first Test after a gap of 7 long years, earlier this year in the month of June when they toured England. The Indian women showed great resolve in that match as they snatched a draw for themselves, from the jaws of defeat.
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Now, they are going to face hosts Australia in their first-ever pink-ball Test. This is a huge step for women’s cricket, especially as we have seen their male counterparts already play 16 pink-ball Tests in the span of almost 6 years. A Test match like this between two powerhouses of world cricket, will certainly help the women’s game take another step in the direction of being at par with the men’s game.
The 15,000-capacity Carrara Oval is expected to attract spectators as both sets of women will battle over the course of 4 days, under floodlights. Let’s hope we get to witness a great game of Test cricket!
