fivewicket star mohammad
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Five-wicket star Mohammad Abbas dropped for key Test

PORT OF SPAIN: Pakistan’s team selection for the second Test against the West Indies has triggered widespread debate after experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas was left out of the playing XI despite delivering a match-winning five-wicket haul in the previous Test.

The unexpected decision has raised eyebrows among cricket experts and fans, with many describing it as one of the most unusual selection calls in Pakistan’s recent Test history.

Abbas was Pakistan’s standout performer in the opening Test at Tarouba, finishing with eight wickets across the match, including a brilliant five-wicket haul in one innings. Despite his efforts, Pakistan suffered a 90-run defeat, largely due to a disappointing batting display.

However, instead of retaining their leading bowler, the team management opted to hand Ubaid Shah his Test debut for the series-deciding second match.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam defended the move, saying the decision was based on pitch conditions and part of four changes made to the playing XI.

According to Babar, the management believed the conditions in Port of Spain required a different bowling combination, and Abbas was rested with those factors in mind.

The decision has nevertheless sparked criticism, particularly because bowlers who claim five wickets in an innings are rarely omitted from the very next Test.

Cricket statisticians pointed out that this is believed to be the first time since 1980 that a Pakistan bowler has been dropped immediately after taking a five-wicket haul in a Test innings.

The last comparable case dates back to Pakistan’s 1979-80 tour of India, when Ehteshamuddin was left out after claiming five wickets in an innings to make room for the returning Imran Khan.

The debate intensified after Ubaid Shah endured a difficult start to his Test career. On the opening day of the second Test, the young pacer conceded 56 runs in just nine overs, making him Pakistan’s most expensive bowler of the day despite picking up a wicket.

His costly spell has prompted fresh questions over whether the management made the right call by overlooking Abbas, whose experience and consistency have long been valued in red-ball cricket.

With the series on the line, Pakistan’s selection strategy is now under intense scrutiny. Whether the bold gamble pays off could have a significant impact on the outcome of the Test and may shape discussions over team selection in the months ahead.

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Senator Zehri joined the meeting online. Committee members expressed anger over the federal health minister’s late arrival. Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani said the meeting had already been rescheduled three times at the minister’s request. Anusha Rahman warned that another meeting would be called the next day if the minister failed to attend. After joining the meeting, Mustafa Kamal said the MDCAT system could be improved but claimed that, in his view, the current system was perfect. He said coordinated text messages were being sent to senators to pressure them and delay the medical admission test. “Do not become emotional over these messages. This is the season of messages and there is a mafia behind them,” the minister told the committee. He also claimed that students sometimes demanded delays by citing floods and other emergencies as reasons. The minister said students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sometimes called for postponement even before floods reached Balochistan. He said some students later claimed that their books had been washed away in floods. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri rejected the idea that all complaints were organised. She said the committee was receiving around 50 messages from students every day and asked why their problems had not been addressed. She also raised concerns that FSc, A Level and MDCAT examination dates were overlapping. The minister said the MDCAT would be held around three weeks after the final board examination. He said the last board examination was expected to end on July 20 and MDCAT would be conducted three weeks later. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council told the committee that around 135,000 students would appear in MDCAT. The test will be conducted in 36 cities, including 35 cities in Pakistan and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. PMDC officials said medical colleges previously conducted separate entry tests, but the system was later changed to a national MDCAT. They said several problems had been reported in earlier years, especially regarding examination papers. To solve these problems, PMDC formed committees and prepared a nationally uniform syllabus. Officials said the syllabus was displayed on different public platforms and around 1,000 people submitted complaints. Anusha Rahman told PMDC officials that students had suffered because of weaknesses in the system. She said FSc students complained that they were asked questions linked to the A Level system, while A Level students were forced to study FSc books. She questioned why students were going to private academies and paying up to Rs1 lakh for MDCAT preparation. “Every year, academies make huge profits from these tests,” she said. She added that students were placed under heavy pressure to complete MDCAT preparation within three months. Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani said the FSc system mainly focused on detailed knowledge, while the A Level system gave greater importance to analysis and reasoning. PMDC officials said MDCAT had been designed around common learning points included in both systems. They said the aim was to provide a fair test for FSc and A Level students. The health minister agreed to review the issue and asked the committee to send students with genuine complaints directly to the ministry and PMDC. He said officials would sit with the students, listen to their concerns and try to solve their problems. The committee also raised serious concerns about fees charged by private medical colleges. Members said many seats remained vacant because deserving students could not afford the fees. They said Pakistani students were choosing foreign universities because medical education abroad was cheaper. The committee called for a review of the fee structure of private medical colleges to make medical education more affordable. Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani proposed giving 40 percent weight to MDCAT, 50 percent to academic results and 10 percent to interviews during medical college admissions. PMDC officials warned that reducing MDCAT marks could weaken the importance and credibility of the national test. The committee also recommended conducting MDCAT twice a year so students could get another chance instead of losing a complete academic year. Members appreciated some reforms introduced by PMDC but asked the council to improve public awareness. They recommended issuing brochures and running information campaigns about foreign medical colleges that are not recognised in Pakistan. The committee said students must be warned before spending money on institutions whose medical degrees will not be accepted by Pakistani authorities. It also recommended providing more house job and professional training opportunities to Pakistani medical graduates returning from foreign countries. The minister directed officials to provide complete MDCAT data from the last five years. The information will include the total number of students who appeared in the test and a comparison of FSc and A Level candidates. Committee members also sought details about the members of the MDCAT assessment committee. The health minister promised to provide those details within 24 hours. The committee decided to continue discussions on MDCAT, medical college fees and admission policies in its next meeting.

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    Ertugrul star Celal Al sends ‘Dil Dil Pakistan?…

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    Messi returns as Inter Miami held to draw

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    Jennifer Garner recalls paparazzi chaos that impacted her children

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    India’s top court orders release of minors amid exam protests

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