×
×
Kemar Roach is unavailable for the West Indies due to illness, and Joshua Da Silva has been dropped from the squad. Explore the latest blogs on IPLbookmakers. Big Picture: Expect Heavy Turn on Multan’s Pitch The timing of this series does little to elevate its profile, coming after the top two World Test Championship (WTC) […]
Kemar Roach is unavailable for the West Indies due to illness, and Joshua Da Silva has been dropped from the squad.
Explore the latest blogs on IPLbookmakers.
The timing of this series does little to elevate its profile, coming after the top two World Test Championship (WTC) berths have already been decided near the end of the cycle. West Indies are languishing at the bottom of the standings, with Pakistan only slightly ahead. Originally scheduled for January 2024, the series was replaced by T20Is against New Zealand, robbing it of the potential to shift a side’s fortunes. As it stands now, it serves mostly as a battle for the bottom spot in the larger competition.
Despite this, there is still intrigue beyond the WTC. The West Indies will play a Test in Pakistan for the first time in over 18 years, though they have faced Pakistan in the UAE during this period. This series is part of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s ongoing experiment to make local pitches more favorable to spin bowling. The first attempt at this was in Multan during the series against England last year, and Pakistan is keen to replicate that success with innovative pitch preparation techniques, including heaters and even a makeshift greenhouse.
Pakistan’s squad is well-equipped for these spin-friendly conditions, with express fast bowlers omitted in favor of spinners. Sajid Khan will partner Noman Ali, and Abrar Ahmed, who missed the previous series against England due to illness, returns to the fold. Shan Masood continues as captain and has been moved up the batting order, with the absence of Abdullah Shafique and an injury to Saim Ayub opening the door for debutant Muhammad Hurraira to join the team.
However, the West Indies may present more of a challenge than England did, who were caught off guard by the spin-heavy approach and played into Pakistan’s hands. While the West Indies don’t have a star-studded batting lineup, they come with experience in these conditions and a spin attack capable of exploiting them. Despite sitting at the bottom of the WTC standings, the West Indies have made significant changes, including dropping vice-captain Joshua Da Silva for his underwhelming performances with the bat. With a series win, they have the chance to move off the bottom, but their inconsistency in recent years will make this a difficult challenge.
Pakistan: LLWWL (last five Tests, most recent first)
West Indies: LWLDL
Batters capable of handling spin-friendly conditions will be crucial in this series, making Saud Shakeel an invaluable asset for Pakistan. Despite his preference for quicker wickets, Shakeel is expected to thrive on Multan’s slow, low turn. However, during Pakistan’s most recent Test in Multan against England, where spin dominated, Shakeel scored just 35 runs across two innings. Nevertheless, his strong average of over 50 in six innings at this ground suggests that if he can adapt to the likely low-scoring conditions, he could prove to be a key player with the bat.
Gudakesh Motie, on the other hand, could enjoy this series more than anyone. With the West Indies’ spin capabilities potentially outshining England’s, Pakistan may find slow-turning pitches more challenging to prepare. Motie, a left-arm orthodox bowler, could be the player Pakistan fears most. With nine Tests under his belt, Motie’s full potential is still to be realized, but his height gives him various options to exploit these conditions. His bowling average is superior to that of Sajid Khan and nearly identical to Noman Ali’s—Pakistan’s most potent spin threats against England—even though most of Motie’s wickets have come against Zimbabwe.
Pakistan have announced their XI, which includes three spinners and debutant Muhammad Hurraira, who will open the batting. The team features a blend of experienced players and new faces, with Shan Masood captaining the side. The lineup includes Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Abrar Ahmed, and Khurram Shahzad, along with Hurraira. This spin-heavy setup reflects Pakistan’s confidence in their slow-bowling resources, with Noman, Sajid, and Abrar all expected to play key roles.
For West Indies, the absence of Kemar Roach due to illness leaves the seam attack in the hands of Jayden Seales, while Anderson Phillip is also unlikely to feature in the spin-dominant setup. Tevin Imlach, who impressed with an unbeaten 57 against Pakistan Shaheens in the tour game, will make his international debut in Multan. Additionally, vice-captain Joshua Da Silva has been dropped, paving the way for uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Amir Jangoo, who is set to make his debut as well. This marks a significant change in the West Indies’ lineup as they look to adapt to Pakistan’s spin-friendly conditions.
West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Mikyle Louis, 3 Justin Greaves, 4 Tevin Imlach, 5 Alick Athanaze, 6 Kavem Hodge, 7 Amir Jangoo (wk), 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Kevin Sinclair, 10 Jomel Warrican, 11 Jayden Seales
The big question, of course, is whether Pakistan’s unorthodox pitch preparation will pay off. Determined to manipulate the Multan surface in their favor, Pakistan has gone so far as to build a greenhouse over the square to heat the pitch, a strategy never attempted here in January before. However, Pakistan previously succeeded in using similar methods in Rawalpindi against England in October, bending the surface to their advantage. If this experiment proves successful in Multan, it could result in significant turn from the very beginning, with spin bowlers dominating throughout the Test.
Adding another challenge to the mix, the weather is expected to be exceptionally cold, further complicating the situation. The bitter cold could play a role in the overall conditions, possibly affecting player performance and the effectiveness of the spin-heavy strategies being employed. Regardless, if Pakistan’s pitch experiment works as planned, it could create a unique and challenging environment for both teams, with spin likely to be a constant factor throughout the Test.
“Home conditions are very important in Test cricket. We’ve adopted a certain style of play and pitch preparation, and we want to take the momentum of the England series forward.”
Shan Masood urges consistency from his side
“We’ve adjusted well – similar conditions to Islamabad [where the warm-up game was held]. We have acclimatised and are looking forward to the Tests.”
Kraigg Brathwaite believes conditions will not be too different to their three-day warm-up game
Read More: Hurricanes Win on Last Ball, Kuhnemann Injury Raises Concerns