Hodge Stands Firm as West Indies End Day 1 on 194/3 in Tarouba
West Indies 194/3 (67 overs) — Kavem Hodge 83* Shai Hope 39*
Pakistan took three wickets on a rain-affected Day 1 of the 1st Test at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba. But Kavem Hodge’s unbeaten 83 kept the hosts firmly in control by stumps. A two-hour rain delay around lunch swallowed a chunk of the day and handed West Indies a slice of luck at a moment Pakistan were starting to take charge.
The day ended with West Indies in a position of quiet authority. Not dominant. But ahead.
PAK vs WI 1st Test Match Details 2026
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Ground | Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad |
| Toss | West Indies elected to bat |
| Day | 1 of 5 |
| Overs | 67 |
| Score | West Indies 194/3 |
| Test Debut | Ali Usman (Pakistan) |
| Series | Pakistan tour of West Indies 2026, ICC World Test Championship |
Scorecard — West Indies 1st Innings
Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Chanderpaul | c S. Agha b A. Jamal | 21 | 77 | 27.27 |
| B. King | b M. Abbas | 12 | 29 | 41.37 |
| K. Hodge* | Not out | 83 | 181 | 45.85 |
| A. Jangoo | lbw b M. Abbas | 21 | 32 | 65.62 |
| S. Hope* | Not out | 39 | 91 | 42.85 |
| Extras | b6, lb3, nb8, w1 | 18 | – | – |
| Total | 67 overs (RR 2.89) | 194/3 | – | – |
Yet to bat: Justin Greaves, Roston Chase (c), Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Brandon King 8.2 ov) 2-64 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 25.5 ov) 3-106 (Amir Jangoo 36.3 ov)
Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Abbas | 19 | 6 | 44 | 2 | 2.31 |
| Khurram Shahzad | 14 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 2.28 |
| Mohammad Ali | 12 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 1.75 |
| Ali Usman | 12 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 2.83 |
| Aamer Jamal | 10 | 1 | 54 | 1 | 5.40 |
Pakistan Playing XI
Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan †, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas
Session by Session — How Day 1 Unfolded
Morning Session — Pakistan on Top Before the Rain
Pakistan made the perfect start. Mohammad Abbas was immaculate from ball one — five of his seven morning overs were maidens. His fourth-stump line gave West Indies nothing to drive and everything to think about. Brandon King tried to force the issue and chopped on attempting a cut that was too close to his body. 12 runs. 29 balls. Gone.
At that point Pakistan looked in total control. Then the skies over Tarouba turned dark. Rain arrived after just 14.1 overs. The players went off. Lunch was called early. West Indies sat on 23/1 and Pakistan sat on a bowling performance they could not capitalise on.
West Indies were 23/1 in 14.1 overs when rain stopped play. They could not have been happier to see those clouds.
Middle Session — Hodge Takes Charge
The pitch had picked up extra moisture from the rain which actually gave it more life — but West Indies came out swinging. Kavem Hodge hit 14 runs off Mohammad Abbas‘s first two return overs and refused to let Pakistan reset the pressure they had built before lunch.
Babar Azam turned to Aamer Jamal and it paid off immediately. Tagenarine Chanderpaul poked at one outside off and Salman Agha took a straightforward catch at second slip. West Indies 64/2.
Mohammad Rizwan then moved up to the stumps against Amir Jangoo — a smart tactical move that forced him to play from the crease. Jangoo played around a straight one. DRS confirmed lbw. West Indies 106/3.
Three down. Pitch doing something. Pakistan had their moment.
They could not take it.
Final Session — Hope and Hodge Grind It Out
The last session became a war of patience. Hodge and Shai Hope put on an unbroken 88-run stand and not a single boundary was scored in the entire final session. Pakistan kept probing but the conditions that had offered them so much in the morning and middle sessions faded with the light.
Babar Azam kept cycling through Abbas and Mohammad Ali. Both bowled tidily. Neither threatened. By the time bad light ended play at 67 overs Pakistan had 3 wickets and West Indies had control.
Hodge finished unbeaten on 83 off 181 balls — nine fours, nothing reckless, everything calculated.
Player Spotlight — Kavem Hodge
This was Hodge’s fourth Test half-century and arguably his most important. He came in at number three with his side wobbling at 13/1, absorbed the early pressure, attacked when the opportunity came and then completely shut up shop in the final session when a wicket would have changed the day’s complexion entirely.
9 fours. 0 sixes. 181 balls. That is not a cameo. That is a captain’s innings from a non-captain.
Player Spotlight — Mohammad Abbas
In a Pakistan bowling attack that struggled to threaten consistently Mohammad Abbas was the standout. 19 overs. 6 maidens. 44 runs. 2 wickets. Economy of 2.31.
At no stage did he look expensive. At no stage did he lose his length. For a bowler who does not rely on pace he maximised every bit of assistance the pitch offered. The two wickets — King chopping on and Jangoo lbw — both came from sustained pressure rather than a single magic delivery.
If Pakistan are to take this Test the likelihood is Abbas is central to the effort.
What Pakistan Got Right
Abbas was exceptional. Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali kept it tight — combined economy under 2.10 across 26 overs. Ali Usman on debut was controlled on figures alone. Mohammad Rizwan‘s decision to stand up to the stumps against Jangoo showed sharp tactical thinking.
Three wickets on a rain-affected first day against a home side that chose to bat is not a disaster.
What Pakistan Got Wrong
The body language in the final session drew criticism and it was warranted. A team with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha — three former or current captains on the field — went quiet at the exact moment they needed to squeeze.
Pace was the other issue. The attack averaged 131 to 134 km/h throughout. Against West Indies’ lower order that may not be enough to create consistent pressure. Aamer Jamal’s first-over wicket was encouraging but his figures of 10 overs for 54 — economy 5.40 — showed his accuracy needs to be sharper in longer spells.
Field placements in the final session were too defensive. West Indies rotated strike far too easily and the dot-ball pressure Pakistan had built in the morning completely evaporated.
Fan Pulse — What Supporters Are Saying
The mood among Pakistan supporters after Day 1 is cautious but not panicked. A common thread across fan discussions:
On the bowling pace issue: Many fans accept the pace reality. Pakistan do not have anyone bowling above 140 km/h right now and pointing fingers at the management changes nothing. The consensus is Abbas, Khurram and Mohammad Ali are doing what they can with what they have. The hope is that one good spell from Jamal changes the game.
On Naseem Shah: His name came up repeatedly. Fans who watched him in 2022 remember a bowler with genuine pace, movement and aggression who could create a wicket from nothing. The frustration is not just his current absence — it is the feeling that the PCB mismanaged his workload by rushing him back and playing him across formats rather than letting him recover properly.
On the pitch: The concern is not today. It is Day 4 and 5. When West Indies’ pace attack is bowling on a deteriorating surface with uneven bounce — and Pakistan are chasing 350 or more in the fourth innings — that is when the real test begins. Several fans predicted exactly this scenario before a ball was bowled.
On Ali Usman’s debut: Mostly positive. His third spell was his best. The criticism was not his bowling but his field settings — too conservative for a spinner looking to create pressure on a surface that was not turning significantly.
What to Expect on Day 2
West Indies will look to bat Pakistan out of the game. Hodge and Hope will resume on 83 and 39. If that fourth-wicket partnership extends to 150 or beyond — and with Roston Chase, Kemar Roach and Shamar Joseph still to come — West Indies could be targeting 400.
Pakistan need two wickets in the first hour. If Abbas gets one early the tail becomes gettable. If Hodge reaches his century before lunch Pakistan’s path to winning this Test narrows significantly.
The pitch will offer less to seam bowlers on Day 2. That makes Babar Azam‘s bowling decisions in the morning session critical.
FAQ
What was the Day 1 score in Pakistan vs West Indies 1st Test 2026? West Indies ended Day 1 on 194/3 from 67 overs at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba. Kavem Hodge was unbeaten on 83 and Shai Hope on 39.
Who took wickets for Pakistan on Day 1? Mohammad Abbas took 2 wickets — Brandon King and Amir Jangoo. Aamer Jamal took 1 wicket — Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
Who is Kavem Hodge? Kavem Hodge is a West Indies middle-order batter. His unbeaten 83 on Day 1 of the 1st Test against Pakistan in Tarouba was his fourth Test half-century and his most important innings to date.
Did it rain on Day 1 of the Pakistan vs West Indies Test? Yes. A two-hour rain delay around lunch curtailed the first session to just 14.1 overs. Only 67 overs were possible across the full day.
Who made his Test debut for Pakistan in the 1st Test vs West Indies 2026? Ali Usman made his Test debut for Pakistan. The spinner bowled 12 overs for 34 runs on Day 1 and showed control in his third spell.
Where is the Pakistan vs West Indies 1st Test being played? The 1st Test is being played at Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad. This was the ground’s first ever Test match.
What time does Day 2 start? Day 2 begins at 9:30 AM local time (6:30 PM Pakistan Standard Time) on 26 July 2026.