West Indies dug deep to claim the honours on a truncated, rain-hit opening day against Pakistan at the Queen's Park Oval, closing on 239 for 5 after bad light brought play to a premature end with nearly 16 overs still unbowled.

Justin Greaves' unbeaten 64 proved the backbone of the innings, the all-rounder anchoring an unbroken 66-run sixth-wicket stand with captain Roston Chase that carried the hosts from a potentially precarious position to a strong — if not yet daunting — total on a surface already offering considerable assistance to spin on day one.

Hosts cash in early after Abbas omission raises eyebrows

Mohammad Abbas' surprise absence from Pakistan's XI dominated pre-play chatter, and that decision looked costlier once West Indies added quick runs at the top after winning a crucial toss. The hosts raced to 49 off just 9.5 overs before the skies opened and forced an early Lunch.

Pakistan did get one small mercy right before the break, though, as Tagenarine Chanderpaul top-edged a hook off Mohammad Ali straight to fine leg.

Spin twins squeeze the middle order

The character of the contest shifted the moment play resumed. Ali Usman and Sajid Khan were soon bowling in tandem on a surface offering considerable purchase, and the breakthrough arrived before long — Usman ripped a delivery past Brandon King (46) and received three reds on review to claim his maiden Test scalp.

Pakistan then squeezed the innings as the two spinners dominated proceedings. Kavem Hodge retreated into a shell, breaking free every once in a while through a sweep shot, but one of those — off Sajid — brushed his glove before looping off the forearm to Mohammad Rizwan, who snapped up a smart catch. Pakistan needed a second review to confirm it, but the wicket stood.

Rocky debut for Ubaid as hosts wrest back momentum

Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo found a better balance between tempo and restraint. Hope struck a crisp six over cover, signalling West Indies' intent to wrest back momentum, and boundaries began flowing more freely. That shift prompted Babar Azam to recall pace, bringing back a wayward Ubaid Shah — who strayed down leg first ball, and Jangoo's casual flick found an edge through to the keeper, gifting the debutant his first Test wicket.

But that didn't dent the hosts' momentum. Ubaid leaked more boundaries and was withdrawn after three overs, while a second spell from Usman proved equally toothless, going for 17 off three. Greaves, meanwhile, was punishing anything overpitched through the covers, steering a stand that raced past fifty shortly after Tea.

Greaves and Chase shut the door

Pakistan sensed a way back into the lower order early in the final session when Hope dragged Ali onto his stumps to fall for 29. Chase walked out with just one more wicket needed to expose the tail, but true to the pattern of the day, the West Indies skipper battened down while Greaves kept the scoreboard moving.

Pakistan's spinners kept probing, though the pitch had calmed and the danger had largely passed. A second pace change brought no relief either — Ubaid's rocky Test debut continued as Greaves creamed his first ball through the covers again, his pace dipped further, and the spell lasted only two overs for another 15 runs conceded. Babar went back to spin, but the initiative had already shifted firmly West Indies' way by the time the light closed in.

Brief scores: West Indies 239/5 (Justin Greaves 64*, Brandon King 46; Mohammad Ali 2-49) vs Pakistan.