West Indian team arrives in Dhaka

West Indies, led by world record holder batsman Brian Lara, arrived here Friday afternoon on a 10-day visit to Bangladesh.

This is the first time that a test-playing nation has come on an official tour to Bangladesh, which earned the ODI status in 1997 along with Kenya after clinching the ICC trophy in 1997.

Earlier in 1985, the Sri Lankan team toured Bangladesh first to play longer version of cricket with host side. But that was not an official tour.

The Caribbean squad comprising 13 cricketers and Team Manager Clive Loyd reached Zia International Airports at 3.15 pm by British Airways.

Jimmy Adams and Curtly Ambrose will join the team here on October 6. They will play only the ODIs against Bangladesh.

The Caribbeans will play one three-dayer and two one-day matches with ODI debutante Bangladesh during their short trip before leaving for Sharjah on October 10 to take part in a tri-nation cricket tournament there.

West Indies will play the three-day Dutch-Bangla Bank match Oct 4-6 and Biman Millennium Cup day-night basis ODI matches on Oct 8 and 9. All the matches will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Bangladesh Televison will telecast the three-dayer and two ODI matches live. Satellite TV networks ESPN or Star Sports will also live telecast the two ODI matches under the production on Trans World International (TWI).

International broadcasting company TWI purchased the TV right of two ODI matches from BCB by US $ 200,000.

For the West Indian tour, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has received good response from six sponsors for the first time in the game's history to earn nearly Tk 1.41 crore (282,000 US $).

West Indies: Brian Lara (Captain), Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sherwin Campbell, Jimmy Adams, Ricardo Powell, Mervyn Dillon, Reon King, Curtly Ambrose, Nixon McLean, Nehemiah Perry, Adrian Griffith, Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle and Pedro Collins.

Bangladesh: Aminul Islam (Captain), Mehrab Hossain Opee, Javed Omar Belim Gulla, Shahriar Hossain Bidyut, Nasirul Islam, Al-Shahriar Rokon, Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Khaled Mahmud Sujon, Khaled Mashud Pilot, Hasibul Hossain Shanta, Monjurul Islam, Shafiuddin Ahmed Babu, Ahmed Kamal, Neeyamur Rashid Rahul, Enamul Hoque Moni and Mosaddeq Hossain.