West Indies and Pakistan meet in Tarouba today for the start of a two Test series and the latest chapter in one of Test cricket’s tighter rivalries.
The first Test, beginning today and scheduled to end on July 29 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, carries a little piece of history as it will be the first men’s Test staged at the venue, the 13th ground in the Caribbean to host Test cricket.
The opening Test also carries emotional significance, as it will be West Indies’ first since the passing of Barbadian National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers and head coach Daren Sammy hopes his team can honour the legendary allrounder with their performance.
“We just lost a great one in Sir Garry. What he contributed to the Test game, because of him, we got so many followers, so many lovers of cricket. He contributed so much to that,” Sammy said.
“Throughout this series, we’ll be trying to honour his legacy and put in performances that he would be proud of.”
West Indies are also on an upward trajectory with their run-scoring in Tests.
They have produced three consecutive first-innings totals above 450 for the first time since 1995.
They also have a combined nine centuries in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, up from two in the previous round. The bowling attack will be marshalled by Kemar Roach, who became the fifth West Indies player to take 300 Test wickets, as well as Jayden Seales, who is now the second fastest to 100 Test wickets in terms of balls bowled for the regional team. Captain Roston Chase is eager for the team to create consistent performances that will propel them to excellence and, more importantly, up the ICC World Test Championship table. “For this cycle, we initially set out to finish minimum fifth as a realistic goal and we are going in that direction. We want to play a brand of cricket which allows us to improve and take West Indies up the rankings,” Chase said. Ahead of the series, Chase needs a further four wickets to reach 100 and 297 runs to get to 3 000. If he reaches those marks, he will become the fourth West Indian after Sir Garry Sobers, Carl Hooper and Jason Holder to achieve both milestones.
Pakistan and West Indies have played 56 Tests, with Pakistan holding a narrow edge at 22 wins to West Indies’ 19, with 15 draws.
The last two series ended 1-1 in the Caribbean in 2021 and again in Pakistan in January 2025.
In 2025, Pakistan won the first Test in Multan by 127 runs, only for West Indies to respond in the second by 120 runs.
However, West Indies come into the series with the more encouraging immediate form.
Earlier this month, they beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 217 runs in Antigua before drawing the second Test to seal a 1-0 series win.
Pakistan arrive with more issues to fix after their last Test series ended in a 2-0 defeat in Bangladesh in May, which left them at the foot of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship table.
West Indies are only one place above them in eighth with 18 points, while Pakistan have just four points.
This is not a make-or-break contest in the cycle, but it is the sort of series neither side can afford to lose.
West Indies, under captain Chase, have kept faith with the group that beat Sri Lanka, while handing a maiden Test call-up to left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop.
Kirk McKenzie returns after John Campbell was ruled out with injury while Alzarri Joseph is unavailable for personal reasons.
Pakistan are led by newly-reinstated captain Babar Azam and have taken a 16-man squad that includes four uncapped players.
A West Indies series victory over Pakistan would be their first since 2000 and it would be the first time in three years the men in maroon achieved back-to-back Test series wins. (NM)
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