West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first against Pakistan in the opening Test of their two-match series at the Brian Lara Stadium on Saturday.
The two sides have faced each other 56 times in Test cricket, with Pakistan holding the edge in their head-to-head record. The Men in Green have secured 22 victories, while the West Indies have won 19 matches. The remaining 15 encounters ended in draws.
Thirty-three-year-old left-arm spinner Ali Usman is making his Test debut for Pakistan. West Indies Captain Roston Chase said that playing the first Test match at this ground will be a good experience.
Babar Azam said that if Pakistan had won the toss, they would have chosen to bat first. He added that the pitch would be moist, and they would try to take advantage of the conditions. He said that the team’s preparation was good and that they were hopeful of putting in a strong performance in the series.
It should be noted that Pakistan’s rising star batsman, Abdullah Fazal, has been ruled out of the West Indies and England tours due to injury. Abdullah suffered a back injury during a training session yesterday, and the extent of the injury was revealed after an MRI scan.
He had attended a training session at the Brian Lara Academy Ground in Trinidad on July 23. Abdullah requires regular rehabilitation, due to which he will return home.
West Indies enter the two-match Test series against Pakistan with renewed confidence after securing a 1-0 series victory over Sri Lanka, marking their first win in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Pakistan, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after suffering three consecutive Test defeats following their opening victory over South Africa last year.
The team has made a leadership change, with Babar Azam returning as captain after Shan Masood was removed from the role. Masood’s tenure saw Pakistan struggle, with the side losing 12 of the 16 Tests played under his leadership since he replaced Babar in late 2023.
Babar heads into the series in strong form, having scored a century in a warm-up match against a West Indies Select XI. Young opening batter Azan Awais also impressed with a hundred, while fast bowler Mohammad Ali made a successful return to the Test squad after nearly two years, claiming five wickets in the practice game.
Meanwhile, the rain interrupted the opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and the West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, forcing an early finish to the day’s play.
West Indies lineup: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope (wk), Wicket Keeper, Amir Jangoo, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase (c), Captain, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales.
Pakistan lineup: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Captain, Muhammad Rizwan (wk), Wicket Keeper, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Muhammad Abbas.
More to follow….
