PV Sports Desk : Bangladesh is set to make a return to international cricket following a long Covid-19-induced break with a three-match one-day international (ODI) series showdown against a West Indies side, severely depleted by their 12 top players’ decision to pull out of the tour.

The first of the three-match ODI series will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur here. Due to coronavirus (Covid-19) situation, no spectators will be allowed at the stadium in the match, which starts at 11.30am. State-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) as well as private TV channels T-sports and Nagorik TV will air the match live.

The series is being played, keeping the players of the both teams in the bio-bubble, a new normal of the cricket in the pandemic era.

A total of 10 West Indies players including ODI captain Keiron Pollard and Test captain Jason Holder skipped the tour due to Covid-19 fear, while two others remained absent for personal reasons, making it the weakest Caribbean team in the history.

Nonetheless Bangladesh could afford to feel complacent with the series being the part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, a league that offers direct qualifying spots to the top seven teams apart from hosts India for the next World Cup in 2023.

Introduced last year to add context to ODI cricket, the Super League sees each side play four home and four away three-match series.

Edited By-SPT