West Indies’ Shepherd out of Bangladesh tour with coronavirus

All-rounder Romario Shepherd has failed a coronavirus test ahead of the West Indies’ arrival in Bangladesh, further depleting a squad already reeling from coronavirus problems.

The West Indies squad, due to arrive in Dhaka on Sunday, has already lost eight established stars including Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo who chose not to travel in the pandemic.

West Indies have called up Keon Harding to replace Shepherd in the squad which will play three one-day internationals, two Twenty20s and two Tests in Bangladesh.

The tourists will undergo seven days’ quarantine after their arrival. The first ODI is January 20.

Shepherd returned a positive Covid-19 test in his Guyana hometown, Cricket West Indies said in a statement.

“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 travel date,” it said.

The board said all the other player tests were negative.

The absence of Shepherd, who has played five ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals, is a further blow after the withdrawal of Pollard, Bravo, Jason Holder, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran.

All pulled out of the tour due to Covid-19 concerns. Bangladesh has recorded more than 500,000 pandemic cases but its fatality rate has been one of the world’s lowest.

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