ALL-ROUNDER Romario Shepherd has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the three ODIs against hosts Bangladesh later this month. The three ODIs are scheduled for January 20, 22 and 25 in Dhaka and Chattogram.
Information reaching Chronicle Sport revealed that the 26-year-old is currently in self-isolation after he received the positive results on January 2. Shepherd, the Berbician was due to leave Guyana tomorrow to link up with other members of the squad en route to Bangladesh.
The loss of Shepherd, though, will be a major blow to West Indies, who were already without a number of stars including captain Jason Holder, Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Kieron Pollard, Shai Hope, Sheldon Cottrell and Nicholas Pooran.
Shepherd scored a century and a 50 during the recent West Indies ‘A’ tour of New Zealand and was one of the shining lights in an otherwise disastrous tour. He also took two wickets in the unofficial two-Test series.
Meanwhile, Barbadian fast bowler Keon Harding has been selected to join the West Indies tour to Bangladesh later this month.
The 24-year-old, right-arm fast-medium bowler replaces Shepherd, according to sports broadcaster Andrew Mason.
Harding has played 17 First-Class matches during which he has taken 54 wickets at an average of 25.11. His best bowling performance came against Trinidad and Tobago in February 2020 when he took 10 wickets in the match with a best of 5 for 19 in TT’s second innings.
