King and McKenzie join West Indies 15-man Test squad for Pakistan series

Two Jamaicans have been selected in the West Indies’ 15-man Test squad for a two-match series against Pakistan that begins on Saturday.

Brandon King and Kirk McKenzie are the Jamaican players named in the side captained by Roston Chase. Joshua Da Silva serves as vice-captain.

McKenzie earned his Test debut against India in 2023 and has appeared in six matches, with a highest score of 50. His most recent outing for the Caribbean side came in 2024 against England. Selectors have rewarded a strong West Indies Championship campaign in which he made 323 runs across six innings at an average of 64.60.

Head coach Daren Sammy backed the recall, calling McKenzie a bright prospect who had previously featured for the team. Sammy recalled McKenzie’s fighting half-century in a Test victory in Australia that also featured Shamar Joseph’s landmark performance, and noted that the batter had worked through a form dip over the past two to three years. Sammy said John Campbell’s injury from the last Test series opened the door for McKenzie’s return to the squad.

King keeps his place after the recent two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which the West Indies won 1-0.

Barbadian left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop is the sole newcomer. Across the past three regional seasons with Barbados Pride and the West Indies Academy, he has been the leading bowler with 91 wickets.

Other names confirmed in the party include Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge and Shai Hope.

The opening Test starts at 9:00 a.m. Jamaica time on Saturday at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago — the first Test ever staged at that ground.