WI vs PAK, 1st Test: Rain halts play in Trinidad on Day 1 after 14 overs; Babar Azam returns as Pakistan captain

Rain halted play just after 14 overs on Day 1 of the first Test between West Indies and Pakistan in Trinidad on Saturday. With the game starting under overcast conditions, rain was expected at anytime during the day. It finally arrived on 14.1 overs with West Indies' score reading 23/1.

Brandon King was the only West Indies batter dismissed as he was cleaned up by pacer Mohammad Abbas. The rain started at 11:15 AM local time and continued through 12:05 PM local time, before lunch was taken. However, the weather looks encouraging for the latter part of the day.

Earlier, West Indies captain Roston Chase won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, which becomes the 13th Test venue in the Caribbean, hosting its first test. The two teams are bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC), with one win each.

West Indies starts the two-match series on a high after beating Sri Lanka 1-0 for its first victory in the current WTC cycle. Pakistan lost three successive Tests after beginning with a victory against South Africa last year.

Babar Azar returns as Pakistan captain

Meanwhile, Babar Azam has returned to lead the side after Pakistan took the captaincy away from Shan Masood, who lost 12 out of 16 Tests since taking over from Babar in late 2023.

Babar warmed up for the series with a century against a West Indies Select XI in a practice game. Opening batter Azan Awais also scored a hundred and fast bowler Mohammad Ali, returning to the test side after almost two years, took five wickets. Pakistan hasn’t won an away Test since beating Sri Lanka in 2023 when Babar was captain.

Opening batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out of the series, and the upcoming three tests in England, after receiving a lower back injury on Thursday. Imam-ul-Haq, who missed the last series against Bangladesh, returns to open with Awais at the top.

Pakistan handed a debut to slow left-armer Ali Usman, who is the lone specialist spinner and was preferred to the experienced Sajid Khan.

West Indies went in with three fast bowlers – Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales – after Alzarri Joseph made himself unavailable for the series. Jomel Warrican is the specialist spinner for the hosts.

West Indies vs Pakistan playing XIs

West Indies: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase (captain), Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seals.

Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas.