Hodge Shines for West Indies on Disrupted Opening Day

On the first day of the inaugural Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, only 67 overs could be played. However, Kavem Hodge’s unbeaten 83 gave the West Indies an early advantage against Pakistan, with the hosts finishing Day 1 on 194/3.

Shai Hope and Hodge shared an unbroken 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, with Mohammad Abbas emerging as Pakistan’s best bowler.

Roston Chase chose to bat first after winning the toss, but Abbas and Khurram Shahzad began with a probing new ball spell that reduced West Indies to 13 in the first eight overs.

Abbas quickly had his reward, getting Brandon King to chop it onto his stumps, before Hodge joined the usually tenacious Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who brought a new approach to the injured and otherwise first-choice opener John Campbell.

Babar Azam, back at the helm for Pakistan, exhausted a review right before refreshments with the ball pitched outside leg stump, but the hour belonged entirely to the visitors.

Rain caused an almost two-hour delay in left-arm spinner Ali Usman’s first over in international cricket. After the resumption, both Hodge and Chanderpaul remained consistent, if not flamboyant, pushing West Indies past fifty before Hodge began to open up with regular boundaries.

Aamer Jamal ended Chanderpaul’s 77-ball 21-run vigil, pushing at a ball that may have been left alone on the line.

Hodge, on the other hand, did not hesitate to play his shots, particularly the pull, which he used to score consecutive fours against Jamal.

Amir Jangoo hammered a pull off Jamal over fine leg immediately after swiping the same bowler to the third man barrier, as the hitters made a concerted effort to capitalise on any scoring opportunities. But Abbas came to Pakistan’s help once more, trapping Jangoo in front as Babar’s late review call paid off.

Hodge increased his fifty and led the West Indies to tea, after which it was all about the hosts, with Hodge and Hope rotating strike effortlessly. The irony was that, although scoring 67 runs in the final session, no boundaries were scored off the bat, with the only scoring deliveries of four or more being byes.

Play was extended until 6 p.m. local time, but the fading light forced Stumps to draw with 18 minutes remaining in the day. With further rain expected throughout the Test, the West Indies’ bat-first approach will be intriguing to observe on Day 2.