Pakistan Tour of the West Indies 2026… Hodge’s half century highlights opening day of first Test

Jul 26, 2026 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – Kavem Hodge’s fourth Test half-century kept Pakistan at bay through an extended middle session. A two-hour rain delay that forced an early lunch and a delayed restart appeared to liven up the pitch, with the ball beginning to nip and seam for the Pakistan bowlers. Mohammad Abbas was most prolific at taking advantage, striking late in the session to trap Amir Jangoo (21) in front, while Aamer Jamal drew Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s (21) outside edge to end his vigil at the crease. But Hodge’s half-century balanced the session out for the hosts, who added 104 more runs to go into tea at 127 for 3.

Pakistan Tour of the West Indies 2026… Hodge’s half century highlights opening day of first Test

Kavem Hodge notched up a composed half-century before tea. (AFP/Getty Images)

The day ended with the host on 194 for 3 from 67 overs. Hodge is unbeaten on 83 while Shai Hope (39) at the other end continues to grind.

Despite the extra sideways movement, West Indies were positive from the outset of the resumption. Hodge hit 14 runs off Abbas’s first two return overs, and continued to pick off boundaries as the partnership inched past 50. With more encouragement for seam than spin, Babar Azam took Ali Usman off after an over and threw Jamal the ball. It paid dividends in his first over as Chanderpaul poked at one outside off to give Salman Agha a straightforward second slip catch.

However, Jamal’s accuracy tailed off thereafter, and it was the metronomic Abbas again that Pakistan turned too. Rizwan moved up to the stumps to stop Jangoo venturing out, and the uncertainty that caused led him to play all around a straight one. The umpire initially turned down the appeal, but a late review produced three reds. It left West Indies to navigate a tricky final half hour before tea with Abbas zoned in, and while it wasn’t always convincing, Shai Hope and Hodge got the job done.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul pulls off the back foot. (AFP/Getty Images)

Only 14.1 overs were possible in the morning before the heavens opened in Trinidad, with West Indies finding run-scoring exceptionally tricky, managing just 23. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, which is hosting its first Test match. Right from the start, Abbas was at his unerring best, settling into a fourth stump line West Indies did little to sway him from. Five of his seven overs in the morning session were maidens, with the bowler finally making the pressure tell when Brandon King attempted to break the shackles by cutting one that was too close to his body, and chopping on in the process.

While there wasn’t much swing on offer for either him or any of the other Pakistan quick bowlers at the time, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali, there was enough seam movement both ways to trouble the batters. A handful of close lbw shouts ended up going the hosts’ way, with Pakistan burning a review when Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who was exceptionally circumspect in an innings where he took 40 balls for his five runs, was struck on the back leg. Hawkeye showed the ball, from Abbas, had landed just outside leg stump.

But the skies overhead, which were sunny at the toss, began to darken ominously in the last half hour of play. After 14 overs, the rain began to fall, and only grew heavier once the players came off, forcing the sides into an early lunch.

Both teams observed a minute of silence before the start of the game to mark the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers last week, with the West Indies and match umpires wearing black armbands.

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Kavem Hodge, Mohammad Abbas, Pakistan, West Indies

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