Sports

Cricket West Indies has confirmed the men’s tour of Bangladesh next month, their third series amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Test captain Jason Holder has hailed West Indies’ second innings performance and the encouraging debuts by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva and fast bowler Chemar Holder but says the Caribbean side were “still not good enough”, following their second successive innings defeat to New Zealand on Monday.

Cricket West Indies president, Ricky Skerritt, says all-rounder Andre Russell will face no backlash from selectors over his decision to opt out of the recent Twenty20 tour of New Zealand in preference for the ongoing Sri Lanka Premier League.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel hopes his 50th Test match for West Indies starting Friday can coincide with a turnaround in their fortunes, especially against the backdrop of the heavy defeat in last week’s first test.

Out-of-favour West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite believes the Big Bash League starting Thursday will be the ideal platform for him to regain his touch.

First choice wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich will take no further part in the tour of New Zealand, joining veteran seamer Kemar Roach in missing the second Test in Wellington starting Friday.

Captain Jason Holder on Sunday urged “soul-searching” from his bruised West Indies side after they suffered a humiliating innings defeat inside four days in the opening Test at Seddon Park.

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell produced another powerful cameo as he helped power Colombo Kings to a six-wicket victory over Jaffna Stallions in the Sri Lanka Premier League Friday.

Cricket West Indies said the move to proceed with the men’s and women’s tours of England last summer at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic had been a “bold but necessary decision”, and were thrilled their international sides had been honoured with the 2020 Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award.