The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the schedule for the upcoming West Indies tour of Pakistan, marking the Caribbean team’s first Test series in the country in nearly 19 years.
The West Indies to Tour Pakistan will arrive in Islamabad on January 6, ahead of their three-day warm-up match against Pakistan Shaheens at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from January 10 to 12.
Following the warm-up, the West Indies will face Pakistan in two Test matches at Multan Cricket Stadium. The first Test will take place from January 17 to 21, and the second Test is scheduled for January 25 to 29. Both matches will be part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship.
This series will be the West Indies’ first Test tour to Pakistan since their visit in November 2006, when they played a three-match series. The last time the two teams faced off in a Test series was in the UAE in 2016, when the West Indies toured for a three-match series.
While the West Indies have visited Pakistan several times for white-ball formats, including an ODI series in June 2022 and T20I series in April 2018 and December 2021, this Test series marks their return to longer formats in Pakistan.
A Look at International Cricket in Pakistan
Pakistan has a rich and storied history in international cricket, but the country’s hosting of international tours has been significantly affected by security concerns in the past two decades. For a period starting in 2009, Pakistan was largely isolated from international cricket, following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore. This attack resulted in a temporary suspension of international cricket in the country, and it wasn’t until 2015 that Pakistan began to host international teams again, with Zimbabwe being the first team to tour for a full series.
Since then, the PCB has worked tirelessly to restore Pakistan’s standing as a host nation for international cricket. Major international teams like Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe have since made their returns to Pakistani soil. In 2018, the West Indies played a limited-overs series in Pakistan, marking a significant milestone in the country’s cricket revival.
Pakistan’s hosting of international cricket matches has gradually expanded, with teams like Australia, England, and New Zealand starting to tour the country again. This Test series against the West Indies is another crucial step in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to rebuild its cricketing infrastructure and reputation as a safe and competitive host nation.
The Pakistan national team will be aiming to build on their recent success, having swept England 3-0 in their home series, marking their first Test series win at home since January 2021.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite will lead a squad featuring key players such as wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva, all-rounder Justin Greaves, and seasoned pacers Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales. The full West Indies squad for the tour is as follows:
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, Jomel Warrican.
