Pakistan’s Test squad, led for a second stint by Babar Azam, left Islamabad today for a two-match series in the West Indies, while England’s domestic T20 Blast confirmed its eight quarter-finalists as the group stage wrapped up over the weekend.
According to Pakistan’s state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, the squad departed Islamabad International Airport this afternoon and will travel to the Caribbean via Doha and London. Cricket World confirms the tourists face a four-day practice match from 18 July before the opening Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on 25 July, with the series closing at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain on 6 August. The trip is a significant one for Pakistan, who sit bottom of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 table with a single win from four matches.
Babar Azam returns as Test captain in place of Shan Masood, with uncapped quartet Ali Usman, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Ubaid Shah and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori all included in the 16-man party, as covered in our look at Pakistan’s WTC reset earlier this month.
T20 Blast Quarter-Final Picture Confirmed
In England, the ECB confirmed the eight sides through to Wednesday’s Vitality Blast quarter-finals after this weekend’s Finale Weekend settled the three group tables. Northamptonshire Steelbacks topped Group B after winning eight of their nine completed matches, while the top two in each of the north, central and south groups plus the two best third-placed sides across the competition round out the last eight ahead of Finals Day at Edgbaston on 18 July.
The finish caps a shortened group phase after this year’s move to three six-team groups, a format change we outlined when Lancashire were forced into a late squad reset. With the knockouts now set, attention turns quickly to who can back up group-stage form at a sold-out Finals Day.
