Pakistan vs West Indies Match Preview, 1st Test

Pakistan vs West Indies.
(Photo Source – Getty Images)

The two-match Test series between Pakistan (PAK) and West Indies (WI) will get underway with the first game beginning on Friday, January 17. Notably, the match will be held at the Multan Cricket Stadium, in Multan. Notably, the Caribbean side is visiting the country for this format in 18 years with the team’s last Test tour to Pakistan being way back in 2006.

The Shan Masood-led side is waiting to bounce back after a tough series loss to South Africa. The team will rely on its strong batting lineup, featuring Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Saud Shakeel, to counter the Caribbean challenge. On the bowling front, the home side is banking on spinners like Abrar Ahmed and Noman Ali, with pitches expected to favour spin.

Interestingly, Pakistan have made several changes to its squad. Mohammad Abbas, despite being the joint-highest wicket-taker in the South Africa series, has been rested alongside Naseem Shah, as the hosts have preferred more spin options. Mohammad Ali and debutant Kashif Ali have been called up, while Shaheen Afridi remains unavailable.

On the other hand, West Indies will be led by Kraigg Brathwaite. The visitors are coming into the series after drawing the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. Their batting lineup features Keacy Carty and Mikyle Louis. The bowling department will be headed by Jayden Seales and Kemar Roach.

Historically speaking, Pakistan have had an edge over the West Indies at home, with the visitors not securing a Test win in Pakistan since November 1990. The last encounter took place between the two sides, was in Kingston in 2021, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Match Details

Match
Pakistan vs West Indies, 1st Test
Venue
Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Date and Time
Friday-Tuesday, January 17 – 21, 2025, 11:00 AM IST

Pitch Report

The Multan pitch is anticipated to favour batters in the upcoming red-ball cricket match, creating the potential for a high-scoring contest. The surface is expected to remain flat with minimal movement, offering little challenge to batters throughout the game. While fast bowlers might find some assistance with the new ball initially, the overall conditions are likely to stay batter-friendly. The weather is expected to be pleasant, with a high of 20°C during the day. A gentle breeze will blow at 9 km/h, with occasional gusts reaching up to 22 km/h, which could subtly influence the movement of the ball.

Also Check: Most Runs scored in the series

Head-To-Head Records

Matches
28
Won by Pakistan
15
Won by West Indies
06
Draw
07
No Result
00
First-ever Fixture
January 19-23, 1995
Most-recent Fixture
February 04-08, 2021

SA vs PAK Probable Predicted XIs

Pakistan:

Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Huraira, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed.

West Indies:

Playing XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Joshua Da Silva (vc), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales.

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