Pakistan will go in with their spin-heavy formula for their first Test match against the West Indies at Multan. After trailing 0-1 in three-match series against England, they prepared rank turners for the next two Tests, and left-arm spinner Noman Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan spun Pakistan to a series win.

At Multan, Noman and Sajid will be supported by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, while Khurram Shahzad will be their lone specialist fast bowler.

The other notable inclusion is of the uncapped opener Mohammad Huraira. He will replace Saim Ayub, ruled out in the aftermath of the injury he had picked up during the Test series in South Africa.

From 44 first-class matches, 22-year-old Huraira has made 3,427 runs at 48.95 with eight hundreds. What sets him apart from others is his penchant for big scores. Of his eight tons, five have been in excess of 170 – and that includes two double hundreds and a 311 in 2021-22. The last-named innings is the highest score in Pakistan since 2008-09.

Babar Azam, who had replaced Ayub at the top at Cape Town, is likely to bat at one-drop in his first home Test after he was dropped against England.

The second Test match of the series will also be played at Multan, from January 25. Pakistan are currently eighth on the nine-team points table and the West Indies ninth. In other words, this will be the last opportunity for both sides to avoid the wooden spoon.

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