West Indies will face Pakistan in the first Test of their two-match series starting on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Taruba, Trinidad. The venue will host its first Test, becoming the second Test ground in Trinidad and the 13th in the Caribbean.
West Indies recently defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 earlier this month. The hosts, led by Roston Chase, produced a stellar performance, including an innings and 217-run win in Antigua. Chase, who missed the ODI series against New Zealand due to a finger injury, has returned to captain the team.
After a 2–0 home series defeat to Bangladesh, Babar Azam has been made the Test captain in place of Shan Masood.. Pakistan has lost its last seven Tests on foreign soil. Babar Azam and Azan Awais scored centuries in the warm-up match against the West Indies Select XI before the start of the series.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Match Details
match: West Indies vs Pakistan, 1st Test
Tournament: Pakistan tour of West Indies, 2026
date: Saturday, July 25 – Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM local (7:30 PM IST / 2:00 PM GMT)
venue: Brian Lara Stadium, Taruba, Trinidad
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Team News
West Indies are expected to keep most of the players in the same team from the previous Test series. Captain Roston Chase returned after recovering from a right index finger injury. Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican could replace fast bowler Anderson Phillip as the Trinidad pitch is expected to favor spin in the match.
Fast bowler Mohammad Ali took five wickets in the warm-up match. Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad are likely to be included in the fast bowling attack. The visitors will also rely on Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Aga in the middle-order.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Predicted Playing XI
West Indies: Tagenarin Chanderpaul, Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Ameer Zangu, Roston Chase (captain), Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Justin Greaves, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Aga, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Pitch Report
Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host its first test match. In first-class cricket, the surface generally favors fast bowlers with good pace and movement. The pitch is expected to become slower as the match progresses, allowing spinners to be brought into play during the final two days.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Weather Report
The weather in Trinidad is expected to remain hot and humid throughout the Test. The temperature can reach 33°C, humidity around 80%. Rain is expected during the match, which may disrupt the game and provide additional assistance to the fast bowlers.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Head-to-head record
West Indies and Pakistan have played 56 Tests against each other. The Men in Green have secured 22 wins, while West Indies have won 19 matches. Fifteen tests have ended in draws. Pakistan has won three of the last five Test matches between the two teams, while West Indies have won the other two.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Key battles to watch
Babar Azam vs Kemar Roach: Babar Azam has returned as Pakistan’s Test captain and will play a key role in the visiting team’s batting. Kemar Roach remains West Indies’ most experienced fast bowler and will try to trouble Babar with the new ball.
Tagenarin Chanderpaul vs Muhammad Ali: Tagenarina Chanderpaul will have the important task of handling the new ball at the top of the order. Mohammad Ali took five wickets in the practice match and will aim to make an early impact.
Shai Hope vs Mohammad Abbas: Shai Hope has been one of the most consistent batsmen for the West Indies in recent months. Pakistan’s fast bowler Mohammad Abbas will try to test Hope with his accuracy.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Players to watch
west indies
Shai Hope: Hope is one of the most reliable batsmen of West Indies. His role in the middle order will be important for the host team.
Kemar Roach: Roach will lead the pace attack of West Indies. He will try to take full advantage of the new ball and put Pakistan’s top order under pressure.
Roston Chase: West Indies captain returns after recovering from injury. Chase has the ability to contribute with both bat and off-spin.
Pakistan
Babar Azam: Babar entered the series after scoring a century in the warm-up match. Pakistan will depend on him to lead from the front with the bat.
Mohammed Ali: Mohammad Ali impressed by taking five wickets in the practice match. He would like to maintain that form in the opening match of the series also.
Mohammed Abbas: Abbas is in good form and has taken 10 wickets in his last two matches at an average of 23.80.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Free live streaming and broadcast details
Fans in the Caribbean can watch the first Test live on Amazon Prime Video with a Willow TV add-on subscription. In Pakistan, the match will be streamed on Tapmaad and Tamasha. Fans in India can watch the live streaming on the FanCode app and website.
West Indies vs Pakistan 1st Test: Match Prediction
West Indies will start as slight favorites in the first Test. They are coming off a series win over Sri Lanka and are familiar with the conditions in Trinidad. Pakistan would like to improve after losing their last seven Test matches.
