MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan hopes its tried and tested spin template will be successful against the West Indies as the two bottom-placed teams in the World Test Championship gear up for the two-test series starting from Friday.
The same pitch has been prepared for the first test in Multan on which Pakistan spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali neutralized England’s aggressive “Bazball” in October when the groundskeepers successfully dried out the 22-yard strip with the help of giant industrial-sized fans and patio heaters.
“We emphasized during the England series that home conditions are very important in test cricket,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said on Thursday. “We adapted a style of play, style of pitches, (and) now we will try how we can perform in our home grounds and carry forward the momentum of England series.”
Pakistan came from behind to beat England 2-1 on engineered dry wickets of Multan and Rawalpindi after losing the first test by an innings when the tourists amassed a record-breaking 823-7 declared in the first innings.
Off-spinner Sajid and left-arm spinner Noman, who grabbed 39 of the 40 wickets in the last two test matches against England, are both named in the 15-man squad after being overlooked for the away series against South Africa, which Pakistan lost 2-0.
Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who missed the last home series against England because of illness, is also in the squad and it is likely Pakistan will go with three specialist spinners.
Pakistan has lost eight of its last 10 test matches under Masood’s captaincy since he was elevated as red-ball skipper in December 2023. But the skipper believed Pakistan couldn’t capitalize a number of times against Australia, Bangladesh and even against South Africa after putting opponents on the back foot.
“There are lots of test matches during last year when we lost the games after coming into a winning position,” Masood said. “There were only one or two one-sided matches … we came into good positions but couldn’t finish it. The lesson for this team is how we can convert it into victories after coming into winning positions.”
Pakistan will be without its in-form opening batter Saim Ayub, who was ruled out of competitive cricket for up to six weeks after fracturing his right ankle during the test match in South Africa. Imam-ul-Haq will replace Ayub in the top order after the left-hander was recalled since last playing against Australia.
West Indies is yet to win a series in this WTC cycle. It has lost to India, England and South Africa while drawing 1-1 both against Australia and Bangladesh.
But captain Kraigg Brathwaite was hopeful that his team could finish the WTC cycle on a high.
“This series is very important for us,” Brathwaite said. “Obviously (we have) two test matches left in this cycle and it’s a new year … it is important to finish this cycle strong and that’s our focus.”
Fast bowler Shamar Joseph was ruled of the series due to shin splits while another pacer, Alzarri Joseph preferred to play in the ILT20 league in the United Arab Emirates and skipped the test series in Pakistan.
Brathwaite said the tourists has left out their vice-captain Joshua Da Silva from the playing XI while fast bowler Kemar Roach misses out because of illness.
Multan will also host the second test, starting from Jan. 25 due to ongoing upgrades at Pakistan's two main stadiums in Karachi and Lahore for next month's Champions Trophy.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, right, and his Pakistani counterpart Shan Masood pose for photo with test-series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Asim Tanveer)
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot while South Africa's David Bedingham jumps attempting to field and South Africa's Kyle Verreynne looks on during the fourth day of the second test match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot while South Africa's Kyle Verreynne looks on during the fourth day of the second test match between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.
Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.
Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”
Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.
In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.
Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.
In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)
