Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt has assured of the West Indies touring Bangladesh in January-February 2021 with the “best available” team next year.
According to the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme, West Indies was slated to tour Bangladesh for January 2021 featuring three Tests as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, three One Day Internationals and two T20Is.
However, the CWI President has clearly said that they are planning to reduce the three-Test series to two-match series, citing the “pressures” coming with the COVID-19 pandemic and players’ health keeping in mind the looming threat of the deadly second wave of coronavirus crisis.
Even the West Indies has already requested the Bangladesh Cricket Board to drop one Test from the scheduled three-Test series to reduce the costs and players stay inside the bio-bubble, and the decision regarding the same will be taken in the next few days.
Skerritt told the Dhaka-based Maasranga TV: “There has been an option to reduce from three to two Tests, but it is not finalized yet. It will be finalized within the next few days. The problem is [that] we have to look at it from all perspectives, that of Covid-19, scheduling, and cost. These days, the pressures that Covid has brought to world cricket are significant in terms of revenue.”
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The CWI boss further explained, “We want to come to Bangladesh because we respect the relationship and the bilateral agreements that we have. I just want to assure you that we will always send the best available team to any tour that we undertake, including Bangladesh.
We believe a tour to Bangladesh is always a challenging tour because it is an environment that’s very different from our own conditions. But we have always done well in Bangladesh.
Our players enjoy playing against Bangladesh. At the moment, we are fairly evenly matched, and it is always a good series between West Indies and Bangladesh. We are doing everything we can to participate in tours abroad and at home. The Covid-19 pandemic is making it extremely difficult to implement our plans.”
Meanwhile, the BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury has confirmed that the CWI had requested to reduce one Test from three-match series in Bangladesh.
Chowdhury further added, “It is not final yet. The West Indies cricket board has requested us, as staying inside bio-bubble for a long time is tough for players. They requested to consider if it is possible to shorten the duration of the series. In that case, one of the options is to reduce one Test match. We are still discussing the issues; nothing is finalized yet.”
On the other hand, the CWI President also expects BCB to meet all COVID-19 requirements to ensure the players’ safety on the upcoming tour that they had in England.
Skerritt further stated, “We want to be sure that the protocols established in Bangladesh meet the requirement that we have established so far in the various tours we have been on. There are case studies to benchmark from. This is not going to be the first overseas tour. As you know, we did the first overseas tour to England.”
He signed off by saying, “Certain standards were set, certain learnings were achieved, and I think once Bangladesh can meet those standards, I don't think there's going to be any major problem. We just have to verify in our own way that the situation will be safe for all concerned.”
