Hosts Pakistan win toss, bat in delayed first West Indies Test in Multan – Sports

Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test against the West Indies in Multan on Friday after poor visibility delayed the start by two-and-a-half hours.

The umpires inspected the conditions twice after the scheduled throw at 9 was set back due to what the Pakistan Cricket Board called fog.

Air quality in Multan was “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and was set to rise during the day, according to monitoring site IQAir.

Both teams entered the Test with three spinners and a single frontline fast bowler, with the dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch expected to turn from the early stages.

Pakistan gave a Test debut to 22-year-old opener Muhammad Hurraira.

Top-order batsman Tevin Imlach is also playing his first Test for the tourists.

The two-match series is part of the World Test Championship, with Pakistan in eighth place and West Indies ninth and last.

The second Test starts on January 25, also in Multan.

Team:

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

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

Judges: Rodney Tucker (AUS) and Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV judge: Paul Reiffel (AUS) Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)