In Pakistan’s 400th Test match in history, they were given their fourth triple centurion in the form of Azhar Ali.
The opener was breathless across five and a half sessions in Dubai and eased his way to 302 not out before Pakistan called it a day in their first innings.
It was a momentous knock on a grand occasion for his country and a landmark for Test cricket in only the second ever day-night match.
But as Azhar raised his bat to a standing ovation from everyone with the pleasure of having watched his innings, there was a feeling that the empty stands looking back at the majestic batsman were not the backdrop Azhar was deserving of.
Seen as the grand revival of Test cricket, there is a long way to go in the UAE even for this format with cricket’s most favourable day to be played here [Friday] seeing 2,400 people in attendance at its peak.
As delighted as Azhar was with his sumptuous knock, the absence of a packed crowd to soak up his brilliance was something that didn’t go unnoticed by the 31-year-old.
“I think if I had scored this at home it would have been a much better feeling about that or a much better crowd could have made this even a bit better but still 300 is a 300 and I would take that any day,” said the Lahore-born batsman.
“But, yeah, I would have loved more crowd coming in and watching a day-night Test match especially.”
Those supporter numbers are beyond Azhar’s control, but his knock was completely under his spell.
He was given a chance on 190, shelled at first slip off Royston Chase, but the other 657 balls he faced caused no alarm to the 31-year-old as he showed an enormous appetite for runs against a limp West Indies attack and in front of a sparse crowd.
Azhar was substitute fielder in one of those three other Pakistan triple tons, as a 17-year-old in home city Lahore as Inzaman-ul-Haq took New Zealand apart in his innings of 329.
And for Azhar, to be sitting alongside Inzaman, Younis Khan and Hanif Mohammad is some reward.
“The names who scored triple centuries have been exceptional players and world class players so I’m still working hard on my game but getting in that 300 list is a proud moment,” he said.
“It’s a great achievement scoring 300. For me it’s a really proud moment and I can’t really explain my feelings but I think the way the team and captain has supported me through the last few runs when I was nearing 300 was exceptional from them and it’s a big achievement. I will obviously remember it for the whole of my life.”
