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Pacers Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph’s unavailability highlight West Indies’ 15-member squad.
Alzarri Joseph (AFP Photo)
West Indies have announced a 15-member strong squad for their two-Test tour of Pakistan, to be played between January 17-29, 2025, at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Promising batter Amir Jangoo has received his maiden call-up while senior spinner Gudakesh Motie marked his return to the red-ball team for the first time since August, too.
Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph were major absentees from the squad. Cricket West Indies in a statement said Shamar is continuing his rehab after suffering shin splints he during the Men in Maroon’s recent Test series against Bangladesh.
For Alzarri, the board only mentioned that the fast bowler would be ‘unavailable due to other engagements’. However, it’s in the public domain that he’d miss the Test series to take part in the International League T20 (ILT20) in the UAE, which will clash with the tour. He’ll turn up for the MI Emirates.
“For the Test series against Pakistan in January 2025, the focus is on building on what we have done well and transforming the learnings from 2024 into tangible results,” head coach Andre Coley said in a statement. “Motie rejoins the squad to bolster the spin attack, while Jangoo’s selection comes on the back of his consistency across formats in regional cricket, as well as his demonstrated high level of competency against spin bowling.”
It is the West Indies’ first Test series in Pakistan in 18 years and the bowling attack takes an understandable spin-heavy look.
Motie, too, missed the Bangladesh Tests for the inaugural Global Super League in Providence. But having shown excellent form in white-ball cricket this year, he would probably play a key role on the tour. He has played only nine Tests so far, taking 28 wickets at an average of 27.35 with the best bowling figures of 7/37.
Meanwhile, Jangoo was Trinidad & Tobago’s highest run-getter in the domestic four-day competition with 500 runs in five matches at an average of 63.50, laced with two centuries.
West Indies squad for Pakistan Tests
Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Joshua Da Silva (VC), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jayden Seales and Jomel Warrican
