Pakistan vs West Indies Archives

Shan Masood defends Pakistan’s spin-spiced formula in Test cricket

Pakistan skipper Shan Masood defended the formula of using spin-friendly pitches to win home Test matches after a 127-run victory over the West Indies in Multan on Sunday.

Pakistan completed the win before tea on the third day as spinners Sajid Khan grabbed 5-50 and Abrar Ahmed finished with 4-27 to dismiss the West Indies for 123 after setting a 251-run target.

The Test lasted fewer than eight sessions on a dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch, with spinners taking 34 of the 40 wickets to fall.

Sajid finished with nine wickets, fellow spinner Noman Ali six and the West Indian left-armer Jomel Warrican took a maiden 10-wicket haul.

Pakistan bowled just one over of pace in the match.

“If we want to be a top side in the World Test Championship then we have to sacrifice some things, like we did with the fast bowling in this Test,” Shan Masood said.

Pakistan made drastic changes after going winless in 11 home Tests since 2021, using industrial fans and patio heaters to dry the Multan pitch against England last year.

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Sajid and Noman took 39 of the 40 wickets to give Pakistan a come-from-behind 2-1 series win against England, repeating the same ploy against the West Indies.

Pakistan and West Indies will play the second Test from January 25 at the same venue.

Meanwhile, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite had no issue with Pakistan making spin-friendly pitches.

“They’re at home so they got their decision how they want the pitch to behave,” said Brathwaite. “It was a difficult pitch to bat on for sure.”

“We expect the same type of pitch in the second Test so we got to come better with bravery and belief.”

Left-hander Alick Athanaze hit the only half-century for the tourists in the match with 55, an innings Brathwaite wants his batters to learn from.

“He swept it on both sides so we just have to be brave,” said Brathwaite. “We have got one more Test and we have to believe in ourselves.”

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Shan Masood helps Pakistan extend lead to 202 runs in first West Indies Test

MULTAN: Shan Masood struck a half-century to help Pakistan end the second day of the first Test on top after Noman Ali and Sajid Khan ripped through the West Indies batting line-up here on Saturday.

Pakistan’s score was 109-3 when the umpires decided to call an early Stumps due to bad light. Kamran Ghulam (9*) and Saud Shakeel (2*) will resume Pakistan’s innings with a lead of 202 runs.

West Indies began their first innings in a disastrous manner, as Sajid Khan took two wickets with consecutive deliveries in the third over, leaving the team with only ten runs on the board.

Sajid then claimed two more wickets in the following over, further weakening the opposition’s batting lineup. After bowling three overs, his bowling figures stood at 4 wickets for just 8 runs.

Noman Ali joined the party soon afterwards few overs later as he castled Justin Greaves (4) in the tenth over. The left-arm spinner took three more wickets in his next three overs to leave West Indies reeling at 66-8.

Pakistan were looking to bundle West Indies under 100 runs, however, the visiting teams’ tailenders stood in the home team’s way.

Jomel Warrican added 25 runs with Gudakesh Motie (19) for the ninth wicket, followed by a 46-run last-wicket stand with Jayden Seales.

Warrican scored a gutsy 31* from 24 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six, meanwhile, Seales struck 22 off 13, featuring three sixes, to drag West Indies’ total to 137.

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Noman Ali led the bowling charts for Pakistan with the figures of 5-39, while Sajid Khan ended the innings with 4-65. Abrar Ahmed picked the last wicket to add one to his tally.

Earlier, Saud Shakeel (56*) and Mohammad Rizwan (51*) started the second day for Pakistan with the scoreboard reading 143-4.

They managed to add 44 runs to the total before Shakeel fell prey to Sinclair after playing a gutsy 84-run knock, which featured six boundaries.

New batter Salman Ali Agha (2) got castled by Warrican, followed by Noman Ali and Rizwan’s wickets in the next over, leaving Pakistan struggling at 200-8.

Rizwan played a grinding innings of 71 runs from 133 balls with the help of nine boundaries.

Sajid Khan then played an 18-run cameo, with one four and one fix, to take Pakistan’s total to 230 before he was bowled by Warrican to wrap the home team’s innings.

Warrican and Jayden Seales took three wickets each for West Indies, while Sinclair bagged two and Gudakesh Motie managed one.

Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Muhammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

West Indies Playing XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Kavem Hodge, Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales

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Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel lead Pakistan’s recovery after early wickets

MULTAN: Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan scored unbeaten half-centuries to help Pakistan end the opening day on top after being reduced to 46-4 in the first Test against West Indies here on Friday.

Shakeel was playing on 56 and Rizwan was on 51 with the scoreboard reading 143-4 when bad light forced an early Stumps on Day 1.

The series opener faced a delay in the coin toss because a thick blanket of fog had enveloped the city, creating poor visibility. The toss was eventually conducted after lunch under a bright sun.

Pakistan chose to bat first after winning the toss, however, the decision backfired initially as West Indies bowlers took four quick wickets with only 46 runs on the board.

Debutant Mohammad Huraira (6) was the first wicket to fall, followed by skipper Shan Masood (11), who fell prey to Gudakesh Motie.

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Jayden Seales, who dismissed Huraira, then removed Kamran Ghulam (5) and Babar Azam (8) to increase Pakistan’s troubles further.

Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan then joined hands to launch Pakistan’s recovery, taking the score to 86-4 at Tea.

They continued their dominance in the final session and completed their individual half-centuries to help Pakistan post 143-4 before the day ended early.

Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Muhammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

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Pakistan win toss, bat first in first West Indies Test

MULTAN: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first in the first Test of the two-match home series against West Indies here on Friday.

The series opener experienced a delay in the coin toss due to a thick blanket of fog enveloping the city, creating a murky atmosphere that limited visibility. The toss took place after Lunch under a bright sun.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood revealed that his side would aim to post a big total in the first innings.

“We have to think about home conditions and look at ways that make it difficult for us to beat at home,” he said. “And looking at different oppositions we would like to have a variety of pitches ready to use, but unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.”

Meanwhile, West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite stated he also wanted to bat first, however, now they will try to be disciplined with the ball and build up dot-ball pressure.

It’s worth noting that 22-year-old top-order batter Mohammad Huraira is set to make his debut for Pakistan in the first Test against West Indies.

He was included in the line-up in place of Saim Ayub, who sustained a fractured ankle on the opening day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa earlier this month.

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Huraira, who has scored 3427 runs in 44 first-class games, will open the innings with Pakistan captain Shan Masood, while Babar Azam, who opened the innings in the Cape Town Test, will return to his usual number three spot.

Kamran Ghulam, vice-captain Saud Shakeel, wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will form Pakistan’s middle order.

Pakistan team management have included Khurram Shahzad as the sole pacer in the Playing XI with a potent spin-heavy bowling attack for the series opener against West Indies.

Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who helped Pakistan defeat England 2-1 in their last home Test series, will form the spin attack, alongside mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Muhammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

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Toss of first Pakistan-West Indies Test delayed

MULTAN: The toss for the first Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and West Indies has been delayed here on Friday owing to the bad weather in the city.

The series opener experienced a delay in the coin toss due to a thick blanket of fog enveloping the city, creating a murky atmosphere that limited visibility.

The toss is tentatively set to take place at 1 PM (PST), with the match expected to commence shortly thereafter at 1:30 PM (PST).

It’s worth noting that 22-year-old top-order batter Mohammad Huraira is set to make his debut for Pakistan in the first Test against West Indies.

He was included in the line-up in place of Saim Ayub, who sustained a fractured ankle on the opening day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa earlier this month.

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Kamran Ghulam, vice-captain Saud Shakeel, wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will form Pakistan’s middle order.

Pakistan team management have included Khurram Shahzad as the sole pacer in the Playing XI with a potent spin-heavy bowling attack for the series opener against West Indies.

Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who helped Pakistan defeat England 2-1 in their last home Test series, will form the spin attack, alongside mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Muhammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

West Indies Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Joshua Da Silva (vc), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jayden Seales, and Jomel Warrican.

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Pakistan unveil Playing XI for first Test against West Indies

MULTAN: Top-order batter Mohammad Huraira is set to make his debut as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled their Playing XI for the first Test of the two-match series against West Indies, scheduled to start here tomorrow.

The 22-year-old batter has been included in the line-up in place of Saim Ayub, who sustained a fractured ankle on the opening day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa earlier this month.

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Kamran Ghulam, vice-captain Saud Shakeel, wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will form Pakistan’s middle order.

Pakistan team management have included Khurram Shahzad as the sole pacer in the Playing XI with a potent spin-heavy bowling attack for the series opener against West Indies.

Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who helped Pakistan defeat England 2-1 in their last home Test series, will form the spin attack, alongside mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan Playing XI for the first Test against West Indies

Shan Masood (c), Muhammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

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Shan Masood opens up on Mohammad Abbas’ exclusion from Test squad

MULTAN: Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood explained the reasons behind the exclusion of veteran pace bowler Mohammad Abbas from the squad for the two-match series against West Indies here on Thursday.

Mohammad Abbas returned to international cricket after a three-year hiatus during the Test series against South Africa in December 2024. He took ten wickets in two games, including a six-wicket in the first Test.

However, he was excluded from the team for the home Test series against West Indies, which is scheduled to commence tomorrow.

Shan Masood, during the pre-match press conference, revealed that the decision to drop Abbas was made considering the conditions in Multan.

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“Your squad is never just 15 players; your roster is usually made up of 20 players. If you look at the squad we announced for the camp before the Australia tour, which was my first assignment, you will see that there have been a few additions since then,” Masood explained.

“Abbas was part of the squad because we felt that the conditions in South Africa would suit him, making him the number one bowler for the Pakistan team,” he added.

“Now, the conditions have changed here and we need to consider the number of players in the squad. We need to see what type of fast bowler we need,” the Pakistan captain concluded.

Notably, Pakistan and West Indies will square off in the first Test from January 17 to January 21 in Multan, while the second match will commence on January 25 at the same venue.

Pakistan squad for the West Indies Tests

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, and Salman Ali Agha.

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Alick Athanaze hits 99 as West Indies post 273-7 against Pakistan Shaheens

ISLAMABAD: West Indies closed the opening day of the three-day warm-up match against Pakistan Shaheens with 273-7 in 74 overs on the back of Alick Athanaze’s 99 at the Islamabad Club Ground here on Friday.

The toss was uncontested as the teams mutually decided for the West Indies to bat first in this non-first-class match.

Left-hander Alick Athanaze, batting at No.5, faced 142 balls, which included 15 fours and one six. He was dismissed by Ahmed Safi Abdullah one shy of his century.

Earlier in the day, opening batters Kraigg Brathwaite (34, 39, 5x4s, 1×6) and Mikyle Louis (34, 63b, 4x4s, 1×6) stitched a 47-run opening partnership before the former fell to Ahmed Safi.

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Louis, Keacy Carty (22, 46b, 3x4s) and Kavem Hodge (17, 22b, 2x4s) became Mohammad Rameez Jnr’s preys, as the right-arm leg-spinner returned figures of 3-40 in 13 overs.

Amir Jangoo (29 not out, 42b, 2x4s, 1×6) and Joshua Da Silva (11 not out, 28b) will resume batting for West Indies on day two with 16 overs remaining in the first innings as the first dig for both the teams has been restricted to 90 overs for maximum practice.

Apart from Rameez Jnr and Ahmed Safi, Hussain Talat was the other wicket-taker for Pakistan Shaheens as he dismissed West Indies batter Tevin Imlach (13, 36b, 1×4).

Following the ongoing three-day match, Pakistan and West Indies will square off in the first Test from January 17 to January 21 in Multan, while the second match will commence on January 25 at the same venue.

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair and Jomel Warrican.

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Pakistan suffer major blow ahead of Test series against West Indies

Pakistan faced a significant setback ahead of their upcoming home Test series against West Indies due to an injury to their backup wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah Khan.

The 21-year-old player sustained an unfortunate injury during practice, which ruled him out of the upcoming two-match series.

He was struck on the hand by a ball, which resulted in a wound that required stitches. Consequently, he will not be available for selection in the matches ahead.

Haseebullah, who has previously represented Pakistan in one ODI and three T20Is, was expected to be included as the second wicketkeeper in the squad alongside Mohammad Rizwan for the series against the West Indies.

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However, due to this injury setback, Rizwan will now be the sole wicketkeeper in Pakistan’s squad.

It’s worth noting that prior to the Test series, West Indies will play a three-day practice match against Pakistan Shaheens, led by Test cricketer Imam-ul-Haq, from January 10 to 12 at the Islamabad Club.

Pakistan and West Indies will square off in the first Test from January 17 to January 21 in Multan, while the second match will commence on January 25 at the same venue.

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West Indies squad reaches Pakistan for Test series

ISLAMABAD: The red-ball squad of the West Indies has landed here on Monday to play a two-match Test series against Pakistan.

The West Indies Test squad, under the leadership of captain Craig Brathwaite, reached Pakistan on Flight EK 612 after a stopover in Dubai.

The visiting team will play a three-day practice match against Pakistan Shaheens, led by Test cricketer Imam-ul-Haq, from January 10 to 12 at the Islamabad Club.

Shaheens will begin their training at the Islamabad Club on 7 January while West Indies will undergo two training sessions on 8 and 9 January.

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Following the practice match, West Indies will play a two-match Test series against Pakistan, that will run from 17 January to 29 January.

This series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.

The first Test will be played from January 17 to January 21 in Multan, while the second match will commence on January 25 at the same venue.

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