Cricket West Indies (CWI) director Chris Dehring has thrown his support behind the idea of hosting a historic pink-ball Test match in Jamaica this July, saying the available data strongly supports the move from both a performance and commercial standpoint.
The proposed day-night Test, which could take place at Sabina Park, hinges on the installation of broadcast-quality lighting and an upgraded electronic scoreboard—improvements expected to be completed by April. The Jamaican government has committed J$75 million towards the project, with Dr Donovan Bennett of the Jamaica Cricket Association expressing confidence in the timeline.
At a CWI press conference held on Monday, Dehring, speaking in the context of CWI’s broader push toward data-driven decision-making, explained why a pink-ball Test makes sense for Jamaica and for West Indies cricket overall.
“From a two-pronged perspective, the data absolutely supports us hosting a day-night Test match at Sabina Park,” said Dehring. “You simply have a much larger addressable audience for night events, and that’s why most sustainable stadiums around the world have lights. It’s about reach, access, and modernizing the product.”
The CWI director, who is leading a digital transformation project within the organization, underscored the importance of using information and analytics to inform scheduling, strategy, and fan engagement.
“One of the core things we’re undertaking is a digital transformation. And that’s not just a buzzword—it’s about changing how we think as an organization,” he said. “To be truly data-driven, we have to generate the right kind of data across all departments and then use it to guide decisions like these.”
Dehring also referenced a moment in West Indies cricket history that adds symbolic weight to the concept.
“If memory serves me right, the last time we beat Australia in a Test match, it was a day-night encounter. Maybe it’s just a good omen,” he joked.
Beyond sentiment, though, Dehring stressed the urgency of closing the widening commercial gap between West Indies cricket and its global counterparts.
“We do not operate in a vacuum. We’re part of a global sporting industry, and we must use every available strategy to compete—especially commercially. That means innovation in how we deliver the game, and turning every department into a contributor to revenue generation,” he said.