West Indian pacer Romario Shepherd tested positive for COVID-19 back home in Guyana and thus has been ruled out of their ODI series against Bangladesh later this month. A replacement has been named in the form of another pacer, Keon Harding.

Shepherd's isolation period back home will last longer than the West Indies team's travel in Bangladesh. As a result, the 26-year-old will not be able to play the series. The rest of the squad traveling to the Asian nation has returned negative COVID-19 reports in the tests conducted before travel.

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A Cricket West Indies (CWI) release reads, "In accordance with the established Government stipulations, Shepherd will remain in Guyana where he is undergoing a period of isolation that unfortunately will extend beyond the team's travel period."

"Following established medical protocols, CWI started the first of a series of COVID-19 tests, on all members of the Bangladesh touring party on January 2 and the following receipt of the results today, CWI can confirm that all other members of the touring party have returned negative results. All members of the touring party took their second and final pre-travel COVID-19 test yesterday," it added.

The replacement for Shepherd, Keon Harding, has earned his maiden call-up to the national side. He has played 17 First-Class games, 20 List A games, and a T20 match back home in West Indies. He has 54 and 34 wickets in the first two formats respectively.

The ODI series between West Indies and Bangladesh will be played January 20-25 in Dhaka and Chattogram.

(With inputs from Cricbuzz)