Chanderpaul, Joseph and Paul retain Test spots for Pakistan series

Guyanese trio Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shamar Joseph, and Keemo Paul have retained their places in a 15-member West Indies Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Pakistan. Their inclusion comes as Cricket West Indies (CWI) largely kept faith with the core group that recently secured a 1-0 series victory over Sri Lanka. The series, which gets underway on July 25, will be marked by a historic milestone for Caribbean cricket. The opening match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba will be the first-ever men’s Test match hosted at the venue, making it the 13th ground in the region to stage Test cricket. The second Test will follow at the traditional Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. While the Men in Maroon have backed their recent series-winning squad, domestic consistency has also been rewarded. Left-arm orthodox spinner Joshua Bishop has been handed his maiden Test call-up following a dominant run of form. Bishop has been the standout bowler in regional red-ball cricket, claiming a staggering 91 wickets across the last three West Indies Championship seasons for the Barbados Pride and the West Indies Academy—the highest tally of any bowler in that period. The squad also sees the return of West Indies Academy graduate Kirk McKenzie. The Jamaican top-order batter earns his first Test recall since 2024, stepping in for opener John Campbell, who was ruled out after sustaining a left hamstring strain during the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand. McKenzie forced his way back into the reckoning on the back of a prolific West Indies Championship campaign, where he amassed 323 runs in just six innings at an imposing average of 64.60. West Indies will, however, be without the services of fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who is unavailable for selection due to personal reasons. Roston Chase will lead the side, with left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican serving as his deputy. West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (capt), Jomel Warrican (vc), Joshua Bishop, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope (wk), Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Kirk McKenzie, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales. Series Schedule: First Test: July 25–29, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad Second Test: August 2–6, Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad