Placed at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings and on a four-Test losing streak, Pakistan made a shocking call for the second Test of the series against West Indies. Skipper Babar Azam dropped his best performing bowler, pacer Mohammad Abbas from the first Test. He was replaced by veteran off-spinner Sajid Khan.
Abbas had taken eight wickets in the previous game, including a fifer. He enforced a West Indies collapse, keeping the target confined to 211. But Babar felt that the conditions wouldn’t favour Abbas at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain.
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“The condition demand is different, so the condition is like different, so I put one spinner on,” Babar said at the coin toss.
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In addition to Abbas, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad were benched as well. Awais Zafar and Ubaid Shah were handed their debut caps. In the absence of an injured Shan Masood who scored a century in the first Test, Abdullah Shafique was brought into the side.
A rare sight in Pakistan Test cricket
This is the first time in over four decades and a half that Pakistan have dropped a bowler from the playing XI in a Test after a fifer in the previous game. Ehteshamuddin was the previous bowler who was dropped during the 1979-80 tour of India despite a fifer in Kanpur. He was replaced by Imran Khan in the Chennai Test.
Pakistan’s playing XI for 1st Test -
Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam(c), Salman Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Awais Zafar, Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah.
Greaves scores fifty on Day 1
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Roston Chase-led West Indies scored 239/5 in 74 overs on opening day. Abbas' replacement, Sajid bowled 22 overs, conceded 55 runs and claimed the wicket of Kavem Hodge who scored 10 runs from 44 balls. Debutant Ubaid bowled nine overs and ended up conceding 56 runs. His only wicket was Amir Jangoo. Mohammad Ali struck twice in 17 overs which featured five maidens. He dismissed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shai Hope. For West Indies, King missed out on a fifty. He was dismissed lbw for a 50-ball 46 by Ali Usman.
The in-form Greaves and Chase shared an unbeaten 66-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Greaves scored 64 runs from 125 balls. On the other end, Chase remained unbeaten for 36 off 70 deliveries.
What’s next for Abbas?
Abbas will be seen in action when Pakistan tour England for a three-Test series. The conditions in England suit the seamer who has represented Nottingham and Hampshire in County Championship in a few seasons, claiming 171 wickets at an average of 20.49.