After 18 years, the West Indies cricket team has arrived in Pakistan for a two-match Test series. The team touched down in Islamabad on Monday, flying in from Dubai on flight EK 612, ahead of the upcoming fixtures at Multan Cricket Stadium later this month.

The visitors will kick off their preparations with a three-day practice match against the Pakistan Shaheens, starting on January 10. This will provide the team with an opportunity to acclimatise to local conditions before the first Test begins.

The West Indies are set to meet the Pakistani team in Islamabad on January 6, followed by a series of training sessions. Pakistan will begin their preparations at the Islamabad Club on January 7, while the Caribbean side will engage in two days of intensive training on January 8 and 9.

This tour is significant for cricket in Pakistan as it marks the first Test series between the two nations on Pakistani soil since their last encounter in 2006. The West Indies have visited Pakistan for limited-overs matches on three occasions since 2018, but this marks their first Test series in nearly two decades.

The two sides have played 54 Test matches against each other, with Pakistan leading the head-to-head record with 21 wins. The West Indies have won 18 Tests, while 15 matches have ended in draws. The last Test series between the two teams took place in 2021 in the Caribbean, which concluded in a 1-1 draw.

West Indies Squad:
Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Joshua Da Silva, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel Warrican.

Pakistan Shaheens Squad:
Imam-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Bashir, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Ali Zaryab, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rameez Jr., Mohammad Suleman, Musa Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir, and Saad Khan.

This tour is poised to be a milestone in Pakistan’s cricketing history, with fans and players eagerly anticipating what promises to be an exciting Test series.