All West Indies players touring New Zealand test negative for COVID-19

All the West Indies players and support staff on the ongoing tour of New Zealand have returned negative results on their third and final COVID-19 tests. The team will now move into a bio-bubble from their isolation facility.

The squad will be travel to Queenstown on Friday for the practice matches scheduled against New Zealand ‘A’ side. Two practice matches will be played before the start of the international leg. This will constitute one three-day match, which will be played from 20th November, and one four-day match which will be played from 26th November.

The West Indies tour to New Zealand includes three T20I internationals and two Test matches. The T20I series will kick off on 27th November while the first Test will commence at Hamilton on 3rd December.

WEST INDIES SET TO TRAVEL TO QUEENSTOWN, NZ; ALL COVID-19 TESTS NEGATIVERead more⬇️https://t.co/QNB9ewz1SF pic.twitter.com/OZHi5yiGH8

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 12, 2020

West Indies players who played in the IPL arrived in Auckland on Thursday

The West Indian players who were part of the various franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have arrived in Auckland from the UAE on Thursday. They have passed the initial health screening tests, but have to be in preparation for the next two weeks before joining the team’s bio-bubble.

POORAN AND CHASE NAMED VICE-CAPTAINS FOR NEW ZEALAND TOUR Read more ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/MGpcWP0QfC pic.twitter.com/XZSGoLMo7O

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 11, 2020

Both West Indies and New Zealand have a lot of history at Eden Park

The first T20I of the current series will be played at Eden Park, Auckland. It was also the venue which hosted the first-ever T20I between the two sides in 2006. This match ended in a tie, and was decided by a bowl out.

Both teams once again met on the same ground three years later, with the match ending in another tie. This led to the first-ever Super Over, which was bowled by Sulieman Benn and Daniel Vettori for their respective sides.

West Indies T20I squad: Kieron Pollard (C), Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Kesrick Williams

West Indies Test squad: Jason Holder (C), Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Chemar Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach

Test Reserves: Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua DaSilva, Preston McSween, Shayne Moseley, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales