Pakistan captain Babar Azam has confirmed that former skipper Shan Masood sustained a fractured finger during the first Test against West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, acknowledging that the injury played a significant role in Pakistan's 90-run defeat. The loss extended Pakistan's dismal run to eight consecutive Test losses on foreign soil.

How the Injury Unfolded

Masood fractured his finger while batting in Pakistan's first innings, forcing him to be pushed down to number eight in the second innings. His absence from the top order left a gaping hole in the batting lineup as Pakistan crumbled to 120 all out on the final day.

'Yes, Shan Masood's injury affected us because, unfortunately, his finger is fractured, so we definitely missed him. At the same time, when you're facing the new ball, you have to survive the first 20 overs, build partnerships, and then, as the ball gets older, the pitch becomes easier to bat on. We couldn't put together those partnerships,' Babar said, according to the ICC on Wednesday.

Babar Stands Alone, Seales Runs Through the Order

Only Babar offered meaningful resistance in the second innings, bringing up his 32nd Test half-century, but he ran out of partners. West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales was the chief wrecker, finishing with a devastating 5 for 20 to seal the result. This is the second time in recent memory that Babar has found himself fighting a lone battle in a losing cause overseas.

Player of the Match: Justin Greaves' Historic Spell

While Seales led the charge on the final day, it was pacer Justin Greaves who claimed the Player of the Match award for a historic first-innings spell that included five consecutive wicket maidens. Greaves, who picked up two further wickets in the second innings, credited Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas for the tactical inspiration.

'We came in and tried to be just as disciplined as possible. I mimicked Mohammad Abbas' fuller lengths when he bowled against us in the first and second innings and it pretty much worked out for us,' Greaves said.

WTC Standings and What Comes Next

The defeat leaves Pakistan rooted at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, while West Indies remain eighth. Babar admitted his side fell short as a batting unit on the decisive day.

'We played good cricket in the last few days, but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit... we can certainly address our mistakes. We'll do our best to correct them and ensure we improve going forward,' he said.

Masood's availability for the remainder of the series will be assessed ahead of the second Test, which is scheduled to begin in Port of Spain on 2 August. Pakistan will need their top order fit and firing if they are to avoid a series defeat.