Babar Azam explains why Mohammad Abbas was dropped for second Test against West Indies

Pakistan made four changes to their playing XI for the second Test against West Indies at Port of Spain on August 2, 2026, with two debutants included in the squad. Among the alterations was the omission of Mohammad Abbas, despite his strong performance in the first Test at Tarouba from July 25-29, where West Indies defeated Pakistan by 90 runs.

Abbas had delivered a five-wicket haul of 5-22 in West Indies’ second innings of the opening Test. The 36-year-old pacer has been Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker among the pace bowlers since December 2024, claiming 28 wickets across 5 Tests. In the two-match series, Abbas took 8 wickets at an average of 7.6.

“We have a couple of changes because of the conditions. We have Abdullah Shafique coming for Shan, and we are making four changes, two debutants. [On what Pakistan need to do to compete in the second Test] More competitive cricket, not lose wickets in patches. We need good partnerships and same thing in the bowling,” Babar said at the toss.

Babar’s explanation for Abbas’ omission

Babar asserted that Abbas was left out only because the team management feels that spinners would make more of an impact than pacers in the second Test.

“[On leaving out Mohammad Abbas despite him being Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in the series] No, no. I told you that because of the conditions. The condition demand is different, so the condition is like different, so I put one spinner on,” The speaker said.

Abdullah Shafique replaced Shan Masood in the batting lineup, with Masood ruled out of the second Test. The two debutants were Ubaid Shah and Awais Zafar, forming part of Pakistan’s strategic adjustments for the match.

Abbas’ last Test appearance before this series came on May 16, 2026, against Bangladesh. Pakistan’s decision to include a spinner reflected their assessment of the pitch characteristics at Port of Spain, where the surface was expected to offer different playing conditions compared to the first Test venue. The move underscored the team’s tactical flexibility in response to ground conditions rather than Abbas’ individual performance metrics.