On the first day of the inaugural Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, only 67 overs could be played. However, West Indies had an early advantage over Pakistan thanks to Kavem Hodge’s undefeated 83, as the hosts finished Day 1 on 194/3. Mohammad Abbas was Pakistan’s best bowler, while Shai Hope provided Hodge with great company in an uninterrupted 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
After winning the toss, Roston Chase decided to bat first, but Abbas and Khurram Shahzad’s probing new ball spell held West Indies to 13 in the first eight overs. Before Hodge joined the usually tenacious Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who offered an alternative strategy to the injured and otherwise first-choice opener John Campbell, Abbas quickly received his reward by getting Brandon King to chop it onto his stumps. The hour really belonged to the visitors, but Babar Azam, back at the helm for Pakistan, exhausted a review just before drinks with the ball pitched outside leg stump.
Rain caused the covers to be put on one delivery into left-arm spinner Ali Usman’s debut over in international cricket, causing a nearly two-hour delay. After the resumption, both Hodge and Chanderpaul were steady, if not spectacular, leading West Indies past fifty before Hodge started to open up with regular boundaries. Aamer Jamal put an end to Chanderpaul’s 77-ball 21-run vigil by pushing at a ball that may have been left alone on line.
Hodge did not hesitate to play his shots, though, and he was particularly successful when he used the pull to hit consecutive fours against Jamal.
Shortly after cutting the same bowler over the third man boundary, Amir Jangoo hammered a pull off Jamal over fine leg himself as the batters deliberately tried to seize any chance to score. However, Babar’s late review call paid off, as Abbas once again helped Pakistan by trapping Jangoo in front.
After Hodge hit his fifty and led the West Indies to Tea, it was all about the hosts as Hodge and Hope kept switching strikes with ease. The irony of it all was that, despite the last session’s 67 runs, no boundaries were struck off the bat; the only delivery that scored four or more was a bye. The game was extended till 6 PM local time, however with 18 minutes remaining in the day, Stumps had to be drawn due to the waning light. On Day 2, it will be interesting to see the West Indies’ batting strategy because further rain is expected during the Test.
