In a selection call that raised eyebrows across the cricket
world, Pakistan opted to drop veteran fast bowler Mohammad Abbas from their
playing XI for the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Queen’s
Park Oval in Port of Spain.
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| Image Credits: Cricinfo |
The decision came as a major shock given Abbas’s heroics in the series opener at Tarouba. Despite Pakistan falling to a 90-run defeat, the 35-year-old right-arm seamer was the standout performer, taking eight wickets in the match, including a sensational second-innings spell of 5/22.
Addressing the media at the toss, captain Babar Azam
insisted the move was purely tactical. "It was down to conditions,"
Babar explained, noting the team needed a combination better suited to the
slower Trinidad surface. Pakistan revamped their attack by bringing in
off-spinner Sajid Khan and handing a Test debut to young pacer Ubaid Shah.
While Pakistan aimed to balance their bowling unit, benching a bowler boasting a stellar career Test average of under 23 remains a massive gamble. As the series decider unfolds, all eyes will be on Pakistan’s altered attack to see if the tactical call pays off.
