Pakistan's hopes of bouncing back in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 have suffered another major setback after captain Babar Azam confirmed that former skipper Shan Masood fractured his finger during the opening Test against the West Indies. The injury came as Pakistan slumped to a 90-run defeat in Trinidad, extending their poor run away from home and raising fresh concerns ahead of the second Test in Port of Spain.

With Pakistan already struggling for consistency in overseas conditions, Masood's injury has added another challenge for the visitors. His availability for the remainder of the two-match Test series will be assessed over the coming days, while the team management monitors his recovery closely.

Shan Masood Suffers Finger Fracture During First Test

Pakistan's experienced left-handed batter Shan Masood injured his finger while batting in the first innings of the opening Test against the West Indies. Despite returning to bat in the second innings, he was unable to take his usual opening position and instead walked in at No. 8, highlighting the seriousness of the injury.

Speaking after the match, Pakistan captain Babar Azam confirmed the extent of the damage.

"Yes, Shan Masood’s injury affected us because, unfortunately, his finger is fractured, so we definitely missed him," Babar said.

The fracture significantly weakened Pakistan's batting order, forcing the team to reshuffle its lineup during a difficult fourth-innings chase.

Pakistan's Top Order Fails Again

Pakistan entered the final day needing a solid batting effort, but their top order collapsed under pressure against a disciplined West Indies pace attack.

The visitors were bundled out for 120 runs, with only Babar Azam showing resistance. The Pakistan captain scored his 32nd Test half-century, but lacked support from the other end as wickets continued to tumble.

Reflecting on the disappointing batting display, Babar admitted his team failed to build meaningful partnerships.

"When you're facing the new ball, you have to survive the first 20 overs, build partnerships, and then, as the ball gets older, the pitch becomes easier to bat on. We couldn't put together those partnerships."

Pakistan's inability to negotiate the new ball proved decisive, allowing the West Indies bowlers to dominate throughout the match.

Jayden Seales Leads West Indies to Memorable Victory

West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales produced one of the finest spells of his Test career on the final day.

The pacer claimed remarkable figures of 5/20, tearing through Pakistan's batting lineup and ensuring the hosts completed a convincing 90-run victory.

Seales consistently extracted movement from the surface, troubling Pakistan's batters with accuracy, pace and relentless pressure.

His outstanding performance ensured Pakistan's batting lineup never recovered after the early breakthroughs.

Justin Greaves Creates History

While Seales starred on the final day, it was fellow pacer Justin Greaves who received the Player of the Match award.

Greaves registered his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket in spectacular fashion, becoming the first bowler to achieve five consecutive wicket maidens in a Test innings.

He also picked up two more wickets in Pakistan's second innings, finishing the match with an outstanding all-round bowling performance.

After the game, Greaves revealed that he learned valuable lessons simply by watching Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas bowl.

"We came in and tried to be just as disciplined as possible. I mimicked Mohammad Abbas' fuller lengths when he bowled against us in the first and second innings, and it pretty much worked out for us."

His tactical approach proved highly successful as West Indies outplayed Pakistan in every department.

Pakistan Slip to Bottom of World Test Championship Table

The defeat has serious consequences for Pakistan's campaign in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.

After losing the opening Test, Pakistan remain rooted to the bottom of the WTC standings, increasing pressure ahead of the remaining matches in the cycle.

With overseas performances continuing to disappoint, questions are once again being asked about Pakistan's batting consistency and ability to perform in challenging conditions.

The team has now suffered eight consecutive away Test defeats, a worrying statistic for one of international cricket's traditional powerhouses.

Babar Azam Promises Improvements

Despite the disappointing result, Babar Azam insisted Pakistan will carefully analyse their mistakes before the second Test.

The captain acknowledged that while the bowlers performed reasonably well, the batting unit failed to capitalise on opportunities.

"We played good cricket in the last few days, but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit."

Babar also praised the West Indies bowling attack for making excellent use of the conditions.

"The surface is good and we expected the new ball to move, for which we were prepared. But I think they bowled very well and used the conditions nicely."

He added:

"We'll sit together and discuss these things because, while the result didn't go our way, we can certainly address our mistakes. We'll do our best to correct them and ensure we improve going forward."

Pakistan will now hope to regroup quickly before the decisive second Test.

Will Shan Masood Play the Second Test?

At present, there is no official confirmation regarding Shan Masood's availability for the second Test.

Medical staff will continue monitoring his fractured finger over the coming days before making a final decision.

Should Masood be ruled out, Pakistan may be forced to bring in another specialist batter to strengthen their top order.

Given his experience and leadership qualities, losing Masood would be another major blow for Pakistan.

Second Test Preview

The second and final Test of the series will begin on 2 August at Port of Spain.

Pakistan must win the match to avoid losing the series, while West Indies will be aiming to complete a memorable clean sweep and strengthen their position in the World Test Championship standings.

With both teams carrying plenty of confidence and motivation, fans can expect another intense contest in the Caribbean.

West Indies vs Pakistan Test Series Schedule

• First Test: West Indies won by 90 runs
• Second Test: 2–6 August, Port of Spain

Final Thoughts

Pakistan face an uphill battle heading into the second Test after suffering another disappointing overseas defeat. Shan Masood's finger fracture has further complicated matters, leaving the visitors with selection concerns and a fragile batting lineup.

Meanwhile, the West Indies will enter the next Test full of confidence after exceptional bowling performances from Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves helped secure a famous victory.

All eyes will now be on Shan Masood's recovery and whether Pakistan can respond strongly to keep their World Test Championship campaign alive.

Ankaj Jha

Author at ICC Cricket Schedule

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