Pakistan arrive in Trinidad for the most significant cricket occasion this ground has ever staged. The first Test between West Indies and Pakistan begins at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on July 25, 2026. It is the first ever men’s Test match played at this venue, making it the 13th ground in the Caribbean region to host Test cricket. Five days of historic cricket start on Saturday. Check out the Pakistan vs West Indies 1st Test Preview.
Match Overview
The first Test runs from July 25 to 29 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad. Play starts at 10:00 AM local time each day, which is 7:30 PM IST. The second Test moves to the historic Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain from August 2 to 6. Both matches count toward the ICC World Test Championship 2025 to 2027 cycle.
This series marks a significant occasion for Caribbean cricket, with the opening match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy being the first men’s Test match ever staged at the venue. The ground, named after the legendary Brian Lara and completed in 2017, holds 15,000 spectators in a mix of fixed seating and grass banks. It has hosted ODIs and T20Is since 2022 but never a Test until now.
Babar Azam Returns as Pakistan’s Test Captain
The biggest story on Pakistan’s side is the return of Babar Azam to the Test captaincy. Pakistan’s National Selection Committee named Babar Azam as captain for both the West Indies and England tours, replacing Shan Masood who was removed after winning just three of 16 Tests. This is Babar’s second stint as Pakistan’s Test captain and it carries enormous weight given the state the team was left in.
Babar returns with clear motivation to prove he is the right leader for this generation of Pakistan Test cricket. His record in his first spell as Test captain, 10 wins from 20 matches at a 50 percent win rate, remains the best of any modern Pakistan Test captain by a significant margin. His record and seven biggest achievements as Pakistan’s leader are detailed in our piece on Babar Azam’s captaincy records, which shows exactly why his return was seen as the most logical answer to Pakistan’s red-ball crisis.
Pakistan’s 16-Member Squad for West Indies
The 16-member squad for the West Indies series includes four uncapped players. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, right-arm fast bowler Ubaid Shah, and wicketkeeper batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori are all in line for potential debuts.
The senior bowling core features Khurram Shahzad leading the pace attack alongside Aamir Jamal and Mohammad Ali. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali provide the spin partnership. Imam-ul-Haq has been recalled to open alongside Azan Awais. Mohammad Rizwan keeps wicket. Saud Shakeel leads the middle order alongside Kamran Ghulam.
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
West Indies Squad: Confidence After Sri Lanka Series Win
West Indies have retained the core of the squad that secured a 1-0 Test series victory over Sri Lanka earlier this month, while rewarding strong domestic performances with the inclusion of left-arm orthodox spinner Joshua Bishop, who receives his maiden Test call-up. Bishop has been among the most consistent bowlers in regional cricket, claiming 91 wickets for the Barbados Pride and the West Indies Academy.
West Indies are led by Kraigg Brathwaite, their most experienced Test batter and a player who knows the conditions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy better than anyone. Jayden Seales, who recently reached 100 Test wickets, leads the pace attack alongside Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph. Kemar Roach, who claimed his 300th Test wicket in the Sri Lanka series, adds veteran experience and leadership in the bowling group.
West Indies Squad: Roston Chase (Captain), Jomel Warrican (Vice-Captain), Joshua Bishop, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Kirk McKenzie, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales
Brian Lara Cricket Academy Pitch and Conditions
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy surface in Tarouba is expected to offer pace and bounce early in the match, similar to other Trinidad venues. The surface generally rewards seamers who hit the pitch hard in the first two sessions. As the match progresses and the pitch flattens, spinners tend to come into play more significantly in the third and fourth innings.
This is the venue’s first Test match, so there is no Test-specific pitch data to draw on. The ODI and T20I history at this ground suggests the surface is true and relatively flat once the early morning freshness has worn off. Both Pakistan’s spin pair of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali and West Indies’ Motie and Bishop should be effective as the match progresses.
Weather Forecast for Tarouba During the Test
The weather forecast for Tarouba during the five days of Test cricket is a genuine concern. The Caribbean is in its rainy season throughout July and the forecast shows significant rain probability across the entire match window. Day 1 on July 25 shows a 65 percent chance of rain. Day 2 shows 35 percent. Days 3, 4, and 5 all show between 50 and 55 percent chance of rain throughout.
Play interruptions are highly likely at some stage during this Test. A reserve day may be required. Both teams will need to manage their session-by-session tactics carefully given how frequently the weather is expected to intervene. The damp conditions created by tropical rainfall also tend to assist seam bowling, which could work in Pakistan’s favour if Khurram Shahzad and Ubaid Shah can exploit the conditions early in each session.
Head to Head in Test Cricket
Pakistan lead the all-time head-to-head record against West Indies in Test cricket with 22 wins to West Indies’ 15, with 22 Tests drawn from 59 played between the two sides. Pakistan have won their last three Test series against West Indies, in 2017, 2021, and 2022. West Indies’ last Test series win over Pakistan came in Jamaica in 2017, making this an important opportunity for the home side to reassert themselves in the longest format.
West Indies arrive on the back of genuine red-ball momentum. Their 1-0 series win over Sri Lanka featured an innings-and-217-run victory in the second Test, one of the most dominant results in West Indian Test cricket in recent years. Jayden Seales reached 100 Test wickets in that series. Kemar Roach claimed his 300th. The Caribbean pace bowling tradition that has defined the region’s cricket history is explored in full in our piece on the best cricket players in West Indies cricket history, and the current generation is showing genuine signs of carrying that legacy forward.
Key Players to Watch
Babar Azam
Returning to Test leadership after over two years away. His personal batting form in red-ball cricket has been inconsistent in recent years. A strong innings in this Test would immediately reassert his authority as Pakistan’s most important batter and as the right man to lead this team’s Test revival.
Jayden Seales
Fresh off reaching 100 Test wickets and bowling with genuine pace on Caribbean surfaces he knows well. He is the single most dangerous bowler in this match. Pakistan’s top order will have specific plans for him from the very first session.
Saud Shakeel
Pakistan’s most reliable current Test batter and a player averaging above 55 in the format. He anchors the middle order and his partnership with Babar will determine how large Pakistan’s first innings total becomes when West Indies eventually take the early wickets they are capable of taking.
Gudakesh Motie
West Indies’ left-arm spin option who has proven himself at Test level against Asian sides. As the pitch flattens and Pakistan’s spinners find their rhythm, Motie becomes West Indies’ primary weapon to expose Pakistan’s middle-order vulnerability against quality spin on a deteriorating surface.
Win Prediction
This match is genuinely difficult to call. West Indies have home conditions, recent momentum, and a pace attack full of confidence. Pakistan have a stronger batting lineup on paper, experienced spin options in Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, and a captain who needed a challenge like this to rediscover his Test leadership best.
The weather is the wild card that could define this entire Test. If rain interrupts heavily across the first two days, the match could drift toward a draw regardless of the cricket played. If conditions remain dry, Pakistan’s batting depth and spin quality give them the slight advantage.
Pakistan win probability: 40 percent
West Indies win probability: 40 percent
Draw probability: 20 percent
Conclusion
Pakistan arrive at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy for a Test match that is historic for this ground and significant for both sides’ World Test Championship ambitions. Babar Azam’s captaincy return adds a compelling narrative to a series that West Indies will believe they can win at home with Seales, Roach, and the Josephs at their disposal. Rain may prove the most decisive factor of all over five days in Trinidad. But when play is possible, this promises to be a competitive and absorbing Test series opener at one of cricket’s newest and most exciting venues.
