West Indies to visit Pakistan in landmark Test series in January

Lahore, Pakistan — Pakistan will host a busy schedule of seven Test matches between August this year and February next year, including two Tests against the West Indies.

As the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday, this tour is the Caribbean team’s first visit to Test cricket in nearly two decades.

The West Indies men’s national team will take part in three Test series and will be participating in the first One-Day International tri-series in 21 years leading up to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy on home soil. The series against Pakistan will be played in Karachi from January 16 and in Multan from January 24. This tour will be only the West Indies’ eighth Test tour to Pakistan since Pakistan gained Test status in 1952.

Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies, noted: “Although we have toured Pakistan many times in recent years, it has been almost two decades since we last played Test cricket there. The 2006 series also included Tests in Karachi and Multan and we look forward to returning for an exciting series against another proud Test cricket nation.”

Historical context and recent performances

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The last Test series that West Indies played in Pakistan was in 2006, when Brian Lara’s team suffered a 2-0 defeat in a three-match series against Inzamam-ul-Haq’s side. Historically, of the 21 Tests played in Pakistan, West Indies have won four, lost nine and drawn eight. Pakistan also hosted West Indies in five Tests in the United Arab Emirates in 2002 and 2016, with the Caribbean side losing all but one of their matches.

The upcoming two-Test series will be crucial for the West Indies as it will be their last appearance in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle. The championship features the top nine Test nations, each playing six series (three home and three away) in the 2023-25 ​​cycle. So far, the West Indies have played four matches in two series at home against India last July and away against Australia in January, winning one, losing two and drawing one. This performance puts them sixth on the points table with 16 points.

India currently lead the table with 74 points after three series, followed by Australia with 90 points from four series, New Zealand with 36 points from three series, Sri Lanka with 24 points from two series and Pakistan with 22 points from two series. The West Indies will be looking to improve their position when they face England in three Tests this month.