Daily Times

Ireland will host West Indies and Bangladesh for an ODI tri-series in the first half of May, with a double round-robin phase followed by a final. The tri-series will begin on May 5, with Ireland facing West Indies, and conclude with the final on May 17. All the matches will take place in Dublin, at Castle Avenue, Clontarf and The Village, Malahide.

The tournament will serve as preparation for West Indies and Bangladesh ahead of the 2019 World Cup that begins in England on May 30. West Indies play their first match on May 31, against Pakistan, while Bangladesh open against South Africa, on June 2. The tri-series will not prevent some of the premier West Indies players from featuring in the IPL, including Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Shimron Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran and Oshane Thomas. Only those players will be considered for selection only if their respective franchises fail to make the play-offs for the IPL, which are likely to begin from May 7. Cricket West Indies is looking at the Ireland tri-series as a means to give some of their fringe players exposure before the World Cup, and have them ready to deal with English conditions should they be required during the World Cup as replacements. Bangladesh only have Shakib Al Hasan playing in the IPL.

Tri-series schedule:

May 5: Ireland v West Indies, Clontarf

May 7: West Indies v Bangladesh, Clontarf

May 9: Ireland v Bangladesh, Malahide

May 11: Ireland v West Indies, Malahide

May 13: West Indies v Bangladesh, Malahide

May 15: Ireland v Bangladesh, Clontarf

May 17: Final, Malahide.

Published in Daily Times, March 23^rd 2019.