Da Silva Left Out Wicketkeeper/Batter Not in Squad for 1st Test

READY FOR BATTLE: West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, right, and his Pakistani counterpart Shan Masood pose for a photo with the Test series trophy in Multan, Pakistan. —Photo: AP

Source: Daily Express
All the prep work and team planning will be out the window from this morning, as the West Indies cricket team gears up for a long-awaited return to Pakistan’s Test arena, as they face off against the hosts in the first of two matches at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

However, the regional team will be going into the match without Joshua Da Silva.

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper/batter was yesterday left out of the squad of 12 for the match, along with his Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team-mate, fast bowler Anderson Phillip.

Since making his Test debut against New Zealand in 2020, Da Silva has played 33 Tests, averaging 24.76, but endured a lean 2024 in which he averaged 22.25 in nine matches.

Guyana Harpy Eagles keeper Tevin Imlach is therefore in line to make his Test debut after scoring 57 in the tour match against the Pakistan Shaheens. West Indies also have the option of going with Amir Jangoo behind the stumps. He also scored a half-century against the Shaheens.

With veteran seamer Kemar Roach also out, but because of illness, West Indies will go into the match with just one specialist pacer in Jayden Seales.

The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 1.30 a.m. T&T time, with the encounter marking the West Indies’ first Test in Pakistan in more than 18 years.

However, the stakes go beyond history. Both teams sit at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings, with Pakistan only marginally ahead.

For West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the focus is on delivering a performance that not only lifts the team but also sets the tone for a strong start to the year.

“This series is very important for us. There are two Test matches left in this cycle, and it’s also a new year, so we want to start strong. The main thing, especially for the batters, is to be brave, trust in your plans, believe in them, and execute,” said Brathwaite.

The West Indies captain is on the brink of personal milestones. He needs 99 runs to surpass Richie Richardson’s Test tally and 149 to join the elite club of WI batters who have scored 6,000 Test runs.

One thing is for sure, spin will factor greatly, and slow bowlers Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican, and Gudakesh Motie are expected to showcase their skills in Multan, while the hosts are set to unleash the spin trio of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed, in their final eleven.

The last Test between the two sides in Multan, back in November 2006, was a run-fest. With over 439 overs bowled, more than 1,400 runs were scored, and only 27 wickets fell. While conditions are expected to favour spin, Brathwaite urged his players to take inspiration from past successes in comparable sub-continental conditions.

“We won a series in Bangladesh, so there’s a lot we can take from those experiences, but at the end of the day, that’s history. What has been key for the batsmen is to believe, believe and be brave.”

Teams:

West Indies from: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Mikyle Louis, Justin Greaves, Keacy Carty, Tevin Imlach, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales.

Pakistan is probable: Shan Masood (Captain), Muhammad Hurraira, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad.

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