Tour green light

West Indies will tour Bangladesh next month for two Tests and three One-Day Internationals, marking their third tour in eight months amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Cricket West Indies on Tuesday confirmed that it had “approved in principle” for the January 10 to February 15 tour to proceed, subject to the confirmation of “medical and logistical details”.

West Indies became the first team to play international cricket following the global lockdown because of the pandemic when they toured England for three Tests last July.

And they just concluded a two-Test tour of New Zealand last weekend in which they suffered a heavy 2-0 drubbing.

Bangladesh, which is nearing 500 000 recorded COVID-19 infections and has over 7 000 deaths, will present a different challenge for the touring party.

However, CWI said its decision had been based on the recommendation of its medical advisory committee, based on a report from an inspection team headed by one its directors, Dr Akshai Mansingh, which visited Bangladesh last month to carry out a review of the facilities and health protocols.

“The Board of Directors of Cricket West Indies (CWI) has approved in principle the tour of Bangladesh, subject to the finalization of the medical and logistical details within the tour Memorandum of Understanding,” a CWI media release said.

“The approval in principle was made following a recommendation from CWI’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), having received a detailed report from the pre-tour visit of Bangladesh by CWI director and member of the CWI and ICC MAC, Dr Mansingh and security manager, Paul Slowe.

“CWI will continue discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) to fine-tune the various arrangements in order to ensure the health and safety of the players and team management unit.”

The tour will be the first hosted by Bangladesh since the global lockdown which saw the indefinite postponement of series against Pakistan, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

But speaking last month following his tour of stadia in Dhaka and Chattogram, along with airports, hotels, hospitals and practice facilities, Dr Mansingh gave the Bangladesh Cricket Board a full-throated endorsement, pointing out that the protocols in place were on par with global standards.

“The protocols that were described to us by the BCB were very, very well thought out,” the Jamaican said.

“We are very happy with what we saw in Dhaka and Chattogram. The facilities are excellent. The COVID protocols are concise and tight.

“The national approach, both in the hotels and hospitals that we visited, comply with all international standards recommended for COVID-19.”

Though CWI did not outline the quarantine protocols, West Indies are expected to arrive in Bangladesh on January 10 and undergo three days of isolation and a further four days of quarantine.

The travelling side will play a one-day warm-up game in Savar on January 18 before taking on Bangladesh in the first ODI at the Shere-e-Bangla National Stadium in the nation’s capital, Dhaka, two days later.

West Indies will play the second ODI at the same venue on January 22 before heading to Chattogram for the third and final ODI at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on January 25.

Following the one-day series, the Windies will undertake a four-day match also in Chattogram from January 28-31 before clashing with the Tigers in the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium starting February 3.

The two teams will return to Dhaka for the second Test starting February 11.

West Indies last toured Bangladesh two years ago, suffering a 2-0 whitewash in the two-Test series, with both matches ending inside three days. (BT)