DHAKA (Bangladesh): Depleted West Indies will face multiple Covid-19 tests during their tour to Bangladesh.
The Caribbean stars have been put on edge by a trip to South Asia and captain Jason Holder along with Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo will be among a host of players missing when they arrive on Sunday.
The tourists will go straight into a seven-day quarantine bubble to prepare for the three one-day internationals and two Tests against Bangladesh who are already in their own bubble.
There has been no international cricket in Bangladesh since March and the cricket board is taking no chances.
The first three days of their quarantine will be in isolation in a hotel. The players will have to pass a test to be allowed together after that. Their first warmup match is on January 18.
Bangladesh is providing some net bowlers and even they will be in their own separate bubble that will also be used to keep ground staff and drivers away from risky contacts.
On top of Holder, Pollard and Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran declined to travel because of coronavirus fears.
And all-rounder Romario Shepherd failed a coronavirus test just before the team’s departure meaning uncapped Keon Harding had to be called up at the last minute.
After their warmup game against a local side, West Indies take on Bangladesh in two ODIs in Dhaka on January 20 and 22 with the final one-day game in Chittagong on January 25.
The first Test starts February 3 in Dhaka, with the second getting underway on February 11.
All the matches will be played in empty stadiums.
