South African cricketer Faf du Plessis believes spending months in a bio-secure bubble could soon become a major challenge for players.

“We understand that this is a very tough season and a tough challenge for a lot of people out there, but if it’s back-to-back-to back bubble life, things would become a big challenge,” du Plessis said during a virtual news conference on Saturday.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, cricketers have to adhere to strict procedures for an international series. In countries like Pakistan, international games are being played in empty stadiums and players' movement confined to just their hotel and stadiums.

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Du Plessis is one of those South African cricketers, along with captain Quinton de Kock, to have experienced life in a bubble over the last few months. He played in the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates and home series against Sri Lanka. Now he has a two-test series in Pakistan, starting Tuesday in Karachi, followed by the second test at Rawalpindi.

“The main priority is to play cricket, to be out there doing what we love instead of being at home … so I think that still remains the most important thing. But I think there would definitely come a point where players would struggle with this (bubble)," du Plessis said.

“If you look at a calendar of the last eight months, you’re looking at about four or five months in a bubble, which is a lot. For some of us (being) without family, it can get challenging. Right now, I’m still in a good place. I’m still feeling really motivated and driven, but I can only speak for myself.

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“I don’t think it’s possible to continue from bubble to bubble to bubble, I’ve seen and heard a lot of players talk about it. I don’t think it’s sustainable.”

The South African team practiced at the National Stadium -- the venue for the test opener -- for the first time on Saturday. Before that, the visitors had been practicing at a stadium close to the team hotel for the last four days where they played intra-squad matches.

Also Read: South Africa cites fatigue as reason not to tour Pakistan

“For now, (I'm) enjoying the four walls of my room and then the pitch outside where we can get to do what we love,” du Plessis said.

The 36-year-old du Plessis, who has appeared in 67 test matches for South Africa with a batting average topping 40, will be playing his first test in Pakistan since making his debut against Australia in 2012. Pakistan last hosted South Africa in 2007. In 2009 international cricket’s doors were shut on Pakistan after an attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus at Lahore.

Du Plessis has played seven test matches against Pakistan that included two in the UAE and five in South Africa.

Du Plessis is South Africa’s most experienced player touring Pakistan, but wasn’t sure what type of wickets will be prepared for the two tests.

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“I think that’s possibly the biggest thing that we are unsure about,” he said.

“As a team we try to prepare for everything and anything, overprepare, spin conditions, reverse swinging ball … if I have to call it, I probably said I think that wickets will be a bit more subcontinent like than it used to be back then (in 2007), so spinners would probably be more a little bit more in the game.”

Du Plessis has picked fit-again Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi as the two players who could pose problems for the tourists. Babar has regained fitness from a fractured thumb — in his absence Pakistan lost both the Twenty20 and test series in New Zealand.

“Obviously, having Babar back is massive for them,” du Plessis said.

“Afridi has been getting a lot of wickets, so probably someone like him would be pretty dangerous.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday greeted players, coaches, managers, and officials of Bangladesh cricket team for their series win against the West Indies.

Bangladesh beat the West Indies by seven wickets at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

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Also Read: Tigers seal ODI series with a comprehensive win

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Also Read: West Indies’ poor show continues

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The Tigers won the Bangabandhu Bangladesh vs West Indies Cricket Series with one math to play on January 25 in Chattogram.

After the ODI series, both teams will face off in a two-match Test series starting from February 3.

Bangladesh beat the West Indies by seven wickets on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

With this win, they sealed the Bangabandhu Bangladesh vs West Indies Cricket Series with one match to play on January 25 in Chattogram.

The West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first, but they failed to post a decent total.

Rovman Powell was the best batsman for the West Indies who scored 41 off 66 balls. But they only managed to post 148 as the other batsmen disappointed.  

In reply, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal hit 50 off 76 to guide the Tigers to a comprehensive and easy win. The hosts chased down the target of 149 in 33.2 overs, losing three wickets.

Tamim and Liton Das opened to reply for Bangladesh and added 30 runs in the first wicket stand before Liton was removed by Akeal Hosein.

Next Najmul Hossain Shanto got dismissed for 17. He fell prey to the West Indies captain Jason Mohammed.

However, Tamim and Shakib led the Tigers to victory. But Tamim fell right after scoring his 47th 50 in international cricket.

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Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim finished the remaining job for the hosts. Both Shakib and Mushfiqur remained unbeaten for 43 and 9 respectively.

Mehidy was awarded the man of the match for taking four wickets for 25 runs.

Earlier, the West Indies could not overcome their poor batting show and were wrapped up for only 148 for all in the second game of the ODI series.

Right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged four for 25 in 9.4 overs, his best bowling figure in ODI. His previous best was taking four for 29 runs. Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan took two wickets each.

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Unlike the first match of the series, Jason Mohammed, the stand-in captain of the West Indies, won the toss and opted to bat first. His decision came as a surprise as the wicket, which was used in the first game as well, was not a good one for the batsmen.

However, the West Indies did not lose their first wicket in the second over as they did in the first game. Despite that, they failed to take control of the game with the bat.

Mustafizur brought the first breakthrough for the hosts, removing Sunil Ambris in the fifth over for 6. The debutant Kjorn Ottley and wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua Da Silva faced 50 balls in the second wicket stand to post only 26 runs.

Also Read: Bangladesh beat West Indies in low-scoring affair

Mehidy took the second wicket removing the debutant Ottley for 24. It was a length ball at the outside off stump. And Ottley hit the ball hard only to be caught by Tamim Iqbal at the extra cover area.

And the right-arm spinner took the next wicket as well, dismissing Joshua Da Silva for 5 off 22 balls. This time it was a length ball again, and Da Silva defended, thinking the ball was coming into him. But the ball was straight and dislodged his stumps.

When the West Indies were struggling at 37 for three, Shakib bowled Ande McCarthy out for three and Najmul Hossain Shanto displayed a wonderful fielding effort to trap Kyle Mayers run-out for a duck.

In the sixth wicket stand, Mohammed and Nkrumah Bonner added 26 runs. When the partnership was getting big, Hasan Mahmud came to the scene and removed Booner for 20 off 25.

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It was a length delivery, and Booner went to cut it away but only managed an inside edge. The ball came in kissing his bat and shattered stumps.

However, Mohammed was looking forward to making a good partnership with Rovman Powell, but Shakib removed him off an arm ball.

Mohammed applied for a DRS, thinking of having an inside edge, but the TV replay showed there was no connection between ball and bat.

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Before being hunted by a stumping effort of Mushfiqur Rahim, Rovman posted 40, highest in the innings. He got support from Alzarri Joseph, 17, and Akeal Hosein, 12*.

In the ninth wicket stand, Rovman and Joseph added 32 runs, their highest stand in the match. In the last wicket stand, Rovman and Akeal faced 40 balls to post a total of 28.

Riding on the last two partnerships of the innings, the West Indies got close to 150. They eventually, managed to score for 148 for 10 in 43.3 overs.

The third and final ODI of the series will take place on January 25 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

After the ODI series, both teams will face off in a two-match Test series starting from February 3

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the 14-member BCBI XI to play a three-day practice game against West Indies starting from January 29 in Chattogram. 

Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan will lead this team. 

Five out of these 14 players are part of Bangladesh’s preliminary squad. They are – Nurul, Saif Hassan, Shadman Islam, Yasir Ali and Khaled Ahmed. 

Along with them, BCB included six members of Bangladesh’s U1-9 World Cup-winning squad— Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Akbar Ali, Towhid Hridoy, Shahin Alam, Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Shoriful Islam. 

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Also Read- Bangladesh beat West Indies in low-scoring affair

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This is the only practice game for the Caribbeans before heading into the two-match Test series starting from February 3 in Chattogram. The second Test will be played in Dhaka from February 11. 

BCB XI: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Akbar Ali, Towhid Hridoy, Mukidul Islam, Shahin Alam, Rishad Hasan, Saif Hassan, Shadman Islam, Yasir Ali, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mohammad Naim, Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed

The West Indies could not overcome their poor batting show in the first game of Bangabandhu Bangladesh vs West Indies Cricket Series.

They were wrapped up for only 148 for all in the second game as well on Friday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Also read: Bangladesh beat West Indies in low-scoring affair

The right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz bagged four for 25 in 9.4 overs, his best bowling figure in ODI. His previous best was taking four for 29 runs. Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan took two wickets each.

Unlike the first match of the series, Jason Mohammed, the stand-in captain of the West Indies, won the toss and opted to bat first. His decision came as a surprise as the wicket, which was used in the first game as well, was not a good one for the batsmen.

However, they did not lose their first wicket in the second over as they did in the first game. Despite that, they failed to take control of the game with the bat.

Mustafizur brought the first breakthrough for the hosts, removing Sunil Ambris in the fifth over for 6. The debutant Kjorn Ottley and wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua Da Silva faced 50 balls in the second wicket stand to post only 26 runs.

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Mehidy took the second wicket removing the debutant Ottley for 24. It was a length ball at the outside off stump. And Ottley hit the ball hard only to be caught by Tamim Iqbal at the extra cover area.

Mehidy took the next wicket as well, dismissing Joshua Da Silva for 5 off 22 balls. This time it was a length ball again, and Da Silva defended, thinking the ball was coming into him. But the ball was straight and dislodged his stumps.

When the West Indies were struggling at 37 for three, Shakib bowled Ande McCarthy out for three and Najmul Hossain Shanto displayed a wonderful fielding effort to trap Kyle Mayers run-out for a duck.

In the sixth wicket stand, Mohammed and Nkrumah Bonner added 26 runs. When the partnership was getting big, Hasan Mahmud came to the scene and removed Booner for 20 off 25.

That was a length delivery, and Booner went to cut it away but only managed an inside edge. The ball came in kissing his bat and shattered his stumps.

Also read Tigers eye to seal ODI series against West Indies Friday

Mohammed was looking forward to making a good partnership with Rovman Powell, but Shakib removed him off an arm ball. Mohammed applied for a DRS, thinking of having an inside edge, but the TV replay showed there was no connection between ball and bat.

Before being hunted by a stumping effort of Mushfiqur Rahim, Rovman posted 40, highest in the innings. He got support from Alzarri Joseph, 17, and Akeal Hosein, 12*.

In the ninth wicket stand, Rovman and Joseph added 32 runs, their highest stand in the match. In the last wicket stand, Rovman and Akeal faced 40 balls to post a total of 28.

Riding on the last two partnerships of the innings, the West Indies got close to 150. They eventually, managed to score for 148 for 10 in 43.3 overs.