West Indies team arrive Pakistan after 18 years for two-match Test series
The West Indies cricket team has returned to Pakistan after an 18-year hiatus to compete in a two-match Test series, marking a significant milestone for cricket in the region. The team landed in Islamabad on Monday and will face Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium later this month.
This highly anticipated series is the first longer-format series between the two sides in Pakistan since 2006, when the hosts emerged victorious in a three-match Test series. The West Indies have toured Pakistan three times since 2018 for limited-overs matches, but this will be their first Test series on Pakistani soil in nearly two decades.
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The series opener will be held at the National Cricket Stadium in Karachi, starting on January 16. The second and final Test will take place in Multan. Both sides are eager to make an impact, with the West Indies aiming to secure their first Test series win against Pakistan since 2000, which was also their last series victory against the hosts in any format.
Ahead of the Test series, the West Indies squad will participate in a three-day practice match against the Pakistan Shaheens, starting January 10. The teams will meet in Islamabad on January 6, with training sessions planned in the following days. Pakistan’s players will begin their preparations at the Islamabad Club on January 7, while the Caribbean team will hold two intensive training sessions on January 8 and 9 to adjust to the local conditions.
The two sides have a long history in Test cricket, having played 54 matches against each other. Pakistan leads the head-to-head record with 21 wins, while the West Indies have secured 18 victories, and 15 games ended in draws. Their most recent Test series in 2021, played in the Caribbean, concluded in a 1-1 draw. Pakistan’s star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was the standout performer in that series, taking 18 wickets across four innings, including a remarkable 10-wicket haul in the second Test.
In their 18 Test encounters in Pakistan, the hosts have won six matches, the West Indies claimed five victories, and seven games ended in draws.
The upcoming series will conclude the campaigns of both teams in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Unfortunately, neither Pakistan nor the West Indies are in contention for the WTC final, as they sit near the bottom of the standings. Pakistan currently ranks eighth, while the West Indies hold the ninth position. South Africa and Australia have already secured spots in the WTC final, which is set to take place at Lord’s from June 11 to 15.
Also See: PAK vs WI Series | Pakistan vs West Indies Schedule
West Indies 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, Jomel Warrican.
Pakistan Shaheens squad for warm-up match: Imam-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Bashir, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Ali Zaryab, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rameez Jr., Mohammad Suleman, Musa Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir, and Saad Khan.
Two-Match Test series schedule:
- First Test: January 17-21, National Stadium, Karachi
- Second Test: January 25-29, Multan Cricket Stadium
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