Jobaaj Stories
The West Indies cricket team made history during the first Test against Pakistan in Multan by starting a Test match with a spinner for the first time ever. After Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite handed the ball to left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.
This marked a historic moment, as in their previous 582 Tests, the West Indies had never opened a match with a spinner. While spinners have bowled the first over in other innings before, this was the first time it happened in the opening innings of a Test match.
Previous Instances of Spinners Bowling the First Over for West Indies:
- Sonny Ramadhin vs England, The Oval, 1950 (3rd innings)
- Rahkeem Cornwall vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2021 (4th innings)
- Rahkeem Cornwall vs Sri Lanka, Galle, 2021 (3rd innings)
- Veerasammy Permaul vs Sri Lanka, Galle, 2021 (3rd innings)
- Gudakesh Motie vs Pakistan, Multan, 2025 (1st innings)
Gudakesh Motie rewarded his captain’s bold decision by claiming the wicket of Pakistan skipper Shan Masood in the ninth over.
Rare Spin Starts in Recent Years
This occurrence is rare not just for the West Indies but for cricket in general. In the past 12 years, only four spinners have bowled the first ball of a Test match:
- Sajid Khan vs England, Rawalpindi, 2024
- Taijul Islam vs Afghanistan, Chattogram, 2019
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz vs Sri Lanka, Mirpur, 2018
The West Indies' decision to begin with spin reflects how cricket strategies are evolving, with teams trying new approaches to gain an edge. This match will be remembered not only for its outcome but also for this unique and historic moment in Test cricket.
